Blue Sky
by British Child
Summary: {A newcomer arrives on the island} - “Oh, Ginger. I want you too. I think about you most of the time. I could even come close to saying that – yes, I love you. I love you, Ginger!”
1. Reminders of Love

_Blue Sky_

_Reminders of Love_

**_Category: _**_Chicken Run_

**_Genre: _**_General/Romance_

**_Rating: _**_G_

**_Characters: _**_Rocky, Ginger, Bunty, Fowler, Babs, Mac…and Azul (more about him below)_

**_Summary: _**_What will the chickens think when a new British rooster lands on the sanctuary? And what will Rocky do when he discovers how much the stranger takes to Ginger, and how Fowler seems to accept him? Where will this newcomer finally stand?_

**_Disclaimer: _**_Chicken Run belongs to Aardman™, Peter Lord and Nick Park (geniuses!) I hold claim to the character Azul, as he is from my own creations. Please ask if you wish to use him for yourself._

_(A/N: Just to be aware, I don't own any of the characters that you may recognise in the film 'Chicken Run'. Only strange...new, different characters will be mine. I promise to add thanks to the people who review this crazy story idea at the beginning of the next chapter. It's already waiting to be posted as we speak...I just need some people to thank! Please enjoy! :) )_

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Ginger sighed dreamily as she gazed out over the lush, green hills of the new 'Chicken Sanctuary', based upon the spontaneous surrounding of land of a discovered abundant island which anyone would have craved a photographic picture or would have at least, for the adventurous type, would have loved to explore it's deep, delving trees or walk among it's sweet scenting flowers and natural green grass.

To many of the chickens that now lived here, it was a refreshing change from the deep, dark and mysterious confounds of Tweedy's Farm, where many still suffered from their imprisonment and of course, the lingering fear that everyone almost shared there...together.

Nearly everyone had begun to settle in on the island, making the most of building new huts around the clusters of overgrowth and tall trees that forested the darkness of some areas. These had been properly checked over and made sure that the settlements were perfect. The chickens, having slept in huts for most of their days, had grown quite attached to their embankments and could not bear to sleep in anything besides that alone.

Mac had fully calculated the figures of each individual hut, and everything had been normal once again. It was like a new rebuilt structure that belonged to the chickens and nobody else, except for Nick and Fetcher. The two rats feebly made excuses to why they _really_ followed the others here, all about loss of eggs and how they needed them to start their own business. The chickens, though many despised the two, knew that they were nothing without them, even though how much the rats denied it.

Plucking a pearl-white daisy from the grassy mound that she sat upon, Ginger gave another deep sigh. She thought back to the days when her and all of her friends faced terror, anxiety and even the cold shadow of death when they still remained back on the farm. Ginger could never get used to it, no matter how many of the others had blended in so quickly. To her, it had seemed like a dark, damp dudgeon, only it was outside.

The young hen remembered her first day she had thought of escape...when she proceeded to climb onto her hut to sit with her thoughts. That's when she looked out, and saw the hills. Those green hills. Ginger could never remember the last time she had seen such a brilliant green before...that green...it just seemed like an answer to her prayers...so far away but she had faith she would reach it...someday. And now she had.

Beginning to pick the tiny petals from her flower, she thought back to when she finally had found the answer to her prayers. Her friends, including herself had tried every plan in the book to get to freedom, but none prevailed. She would often battle to sleep on many dreary nights, trying her hardest to think of new ideas, when the others began to lose hope. Sometimes it led her frustrated to tears, praying and praying for the whole coop to be pitied and taken away to a far, far land where they could be happy and contented, without secrets and missions and hard labour they went through every day.

But all that had changed when Rocky entered the farm and into her life. He seemed like the perfect solution to her problems, even though he lied plenty a times and conjured cheeky remarks like no tomorrow.

But none of that mattered anymore. She had helped the others to freedom, she had stepped upon the heavenly soft grass she had often thought about in her dreams, and she had found Rocky. _Rocky…_ she rolled the name over in her head. She was lucky to have met him, never mind him managing to steal away her heart. And Ginger thought her heart had only belonged to these hills of hers. Boy, was she wrong.

Love had tampered strangely with Rocky and her...it was pushing them together so quickly she didn't even have time to realise what was happening to her. He was charming and handsome, sympathetic yet amusing. His sweetness hardly entered until he discovered love also, complimenting Ginger on how pretty she was and how much he loved her. _ I love you..._every time those three words came from him it made her tingle all over. She knew he was telling the truth this time…his words spoke with feeling and intensity. _ I love him too, _she told herself mentally. _I've always loved him. And I always will._

Ginger smiled down at the field below as she picked off more petals. Many of her closest friends, Mac, Babs, Bunty...most were now proud mothers of little growing chicks. One, two, five...maybe more. Ginger wasn't counting. She was too much concerned about her _own_ future. After all, she was the only hen on the island with a steady boyfriend. The others had all laid their own children singularly, without a rooster to help. Ginger didn't know what to think of it all without Rocky there with her.

The young hen had gone through a difficult childhood, hardly remembering her parents, forgetting their names, what they looked like...it felt like she had been abandoned...she had no memory of them at all. Sometimes she had wished for them to arrive at the farm and take her away from it all, of course keeping this a secret from the others. But they had never arrived, and somewhere in her brave heart Ginger had known they wouldn't.

Sadly, she plucked the final petal from her daisy. _I don't want my children to end up like me, _she thought to herself miserably._ I want them to remember their parents, not forget them the way I did._ Children were another reason why Ginger wanted to flee so badly. Starting from a very young age she had stuck onto the idea, although at the farm it was impossible to try. Frightened from the beginning, she avoided conversation of chicks as much as she could, but as time expanded she craved it, how it would feel to be a mother, watch them play...grow...have children of their own.

Now she was finally free to do all that, but she wasn't so sure on how Rocky would take it. During their relationship, children had never sprung up once, so Ginger wasn't sure on how he would react if she asked him about it. The thought always scared her, so she tried to erase it from her mind, though many times it was hard.

Dropping the plant stalk onto the grass, she sighed another time. She should try and be happy for everyone else, not always worrying about _her_ needs. She may not have children right now, but then again...the thought was always nice, wasn't it?

She was just ready to rise to her feet when a friendly, yet deep voice addressed her. "Hey Ginge!" it sounded out. Ginger immediately stayed where she was. _Rocky, _was her only thought. _Ginge, hmm? Sweet nickname. Better add another one to the list. I have a funny feeling that this one's growing on me, though..._

She straightened up through her thoughts and spun around to see him striding over towards her, his ever-cheeky grin plastered onto his face. _That smile could make the icecaps melt, _she pondered dreamily, presenting a beaming reply to his approach._ I could spend all day with him. _

Rocky let out a satisfied exhale as he crouched down to a sitting position next to her on the mound. He brushed back his red comb before smiling at her once more. Rocky, though trying to forget about the most of his past, especially at the circus, could never stand the moment when he could get a little attention. He always liked to be the party rooster, socializing with everyone and telling jokes when anyone felt down. Due to his crowded audiences every performance he took, he had developed a habit of being rather vain...but nowadays most roosters were anyway. They liked their pride and took great matters in their appearance.

But Rocky wasn't _all_ good looks and charm. He still kept his sweet-sided nature in the pit of his personality, which made Ginger feel special and wanted. She adored the way he didn't always ask questions about himself or always think about himself, but liked to know what other people were thinking too. Hardly any male chickens actually lived up to that fact, but Rocky was a fool in love. Since he'd known Ginger, his whole world had turned upside down.

"Whatcha doing?" he asked half-politely, sitting back a little and making himself comfortable on the grass. He too looked down upon the strewn island of chickens and flowers, now that the sun was high in the sky; many mothers and their youngsters were either sitting together and talking, or kids were busy playing with one another.

It was a serious change to what Rocky remembered the scene before appeared to them. He didn't like to admit this, especially to the others, but he had pitied them almost while at that farm. Particularly when he told himself he were to leave and never return. _Geeze, it was creepy back there, _he thought to himself privately,_ No wonder those guys wanted to leave so fast._

Rocky was almost similar to the others, with one exception. He was an American who had landed into a British world. He had been used to all the names the old rooster Fowler had presented at the farm; 'Yank', 'Whippersnapper' and some others. But he didn't really mind...not anymore.

Ginger giggled a little at his question. "Not much," she replied softly. "Just thinking." _ Of course I've been thinking,_ she told herself bitterly. _I've been thinking about everything. Probably every thought that's passed through my mind since I've been at the farm. But how can I explain all of that to Rocky?_ Sighing gladly, she shut her bright green eyes and was soon deep in thought.

Rocky chuckled. "Looks like it's something interesting, eh?"

"You could say that."

There was a silent pause between the two of them. Ginger knew it was something interesting…possibly the most interesting part was her mixed feelings. Something deep within was telling her that she was finally ready to settle down and have a proper family...but another side of her was asking if she really were ready. She was one of the youngest hens on the farm, and probably the only one without children. She felt very slow and behind the others, and wondered when her turn would arrive. _Maybe Rocky doesn't want children, _she thought unhappily._ He's never mentioned it before, so he can't be too keen on the idea. Maybe he's not ready either._

Rocky curiously watched her as she thought quietly to herself. His deep brown eyes fixed on her face, watching her think._ Shoot, she's pretty, _he silently pondered. _Yeah, I know she keeps denying it, but man. Is she ever wrong. She's the cutest girl I've seen in my life. What were the chances I'd land in that place and get to know her? I wonder what she's thinking about?_

Ginger sensed Rocky's eyes on her and snapped out of her thoughts. "What?" she asked him sweetly. "What is it?"

Rocky raised his eyes upwards and cleared his throat adorably. "Nah...I was just wondering what it actually _was_ that ya found so interesting," he said truthfully, rubbing the back of his neck as he spoke. Then his cheekiness broke in. With a mischievous grin, he scooted over to Ginger and put his wing gently around her. "Were ya thinking about _me?" _he asked, his rich voice as sweet as honey.

Blushing a little, Ginger tried to push him away playfully. "M- maybe..." she stuttered out in embarrassment, trying to avoid Rocky's dark eyes as they asked her his bold question over and over again. The young hen's cheeks grew warmer as Rocky tightened his grip.

"Will you let go?"

"Not unless ya tell me."

"And what if I don't?"

Rocky smirked. "Then you're stuck with me 'till ya do."

"Rocky! That's not fair!" Ginger squealed, trying to escape from his grip.

"No-one said life was gonna be fair, Doll-face."

Ginger gave him a friendly scowl._ I thought I told him not to call me that anymore,_ she reminded herself. _But maybe it's another nickname that seems to have grown on him instead of me. I guess I'll have to get used to it. _Holding in her laughs, Ginger once more tried to pull away. "Rocky, _please…"_ she giggled softly.

"Are ya ready to tell yet? C'mon, I wanna know!"

"I-I don't know...stop being nosey!"

"C'mon, Ginge. Can't ya tell me _anything?"_ This reply didn't sound like a joke. There was a strange tone of understanding and wonder in it, the kind of voice he used when he was being serious, when he wanted to know the truth. Halting her struggles, Ginger turned to stare into his face. It was meaningful and handsome, now his eyes asking a different question.

_Oh, Rocky, _she thought guiltily, _You know I can tell you everything. You don't need to ask me that...I-I just couldn't tell you then. It needs some time, that's all. Some time. _

Ginger swallowed hard as she stared honestly into his eyes. "Of _course,"_ she answered truthfully, resting her head onto his shoulder. She couldn't help feeling sorry for him. "Of course I can. You _know_ that." _But can I tell him how I've been thinking of children? What if he doesn't take to the idea?_

There was a small silence before Rocky asked; "Sure?"

"Yes."

"Positive?"

"Yes."

"O.K," Rocky cleared his throat again before he began his next question. "Then what do ya look like without your hat?" _C'mon, Ginge. I wanna see. I never see ya without it._

Darting up, Ginger gazed at him in astonishment before letting out a choked cough. "What?"

Rocky's tone grew playful and pleading as his eyes scrunched up with desperation. "Pleeeaasse?" he begged cheekily, hugging Ginger closer, expecting an answer. "Please let me - Ginge! I never see ya without that hat on! C'mon, can't ya take it off?"

Ginger gave another giggle before once again trying to push him away. "No! Rocky, that's a silly question! Of course I can't!"

"Why not?"

"Because...it's for reasons...oh, I don't even know why you're asking me this!" she blurted out.

"'Cause I wanna see!"

"Well, you're not going to!" she responded huffily, folding her wings in annoyance and turning her head away from him. _Did he set this up somehow? Ooh...sometimes he knows all the right things to say to butter me up! It's ridiculous!_

She suddenly heard her boyfriend's sly tone. "Oh, yeah?" _I've gotta see her without that stinkin 'hat!_ he told himself mentally. _It's the only dang thing she's keeping from me. _Little did Rocky know that that wasn't all that Ginger was hiding. She kept secrets within her...secrets that she did not wish to share at the moment. Following his thoughts, the young rooster took his wing away from Ginger and snatched her green woven hat off her head with remarkable speed. "Got it!" he declared triumphantly.

At this, Ginger immediately placed her wings to the top of her head, as if trying to protect something. "Hey!" she protested shrilly, her voice squeaking. "Rocky!"

"Yeah?"

She tried to hold in a stifled laugh as she snatched for her hat. "Give it back!"

"You forgot _'please'!"_

"All right, then! Give it back..._please!"_

"Why?" he teased playfully, spinning it around on his feather to annoy her, his expression smug and mischievous. "I think ya look cute without it." It was true. To Rocky, Ginger didn't look any different. He still thought she was the most beautiful hen on the island...he didn't care how much she tried to correct him about it, saying some others were more attractive than she'll ever be._ She's just too modest, _he thought. _She's the prettiest thing I've seen in my life._

"Rocky! You promised!" she argued back, trying to cover up her shyness at his compliment.

"Nah, I didn't," he replied calmly.

"Well...it _sounded_ like it!" Ginger struggled for a comeback. _I mean it...if he doesn't hand it over soon...oh, nobody's seen me without that hat! I've got to make him give it back! _

Rocky just smirked. Ginger, still covering the top of her head with one wing, tried to stretch out with her other to reach it, just as Rocky began to lean away from her teasingly, so it was within touch and out of bounds.

She couldn't help it. Ginger started to laugh her pleasant giggle. "Rocky..." she strained playfully. _"Rocky…"_

"Yeah?"

"Please can I have it?"

"No!" Rocky shut his dark eyes and laughed hard in Ginger's face. Ginger's heart melted at the sound of it, but now wasn't the time. Trying not to smile, she pretended to pout slightly. Rocky still continued to chuckle. "Not a chance, Doll-fa-Whoa!" For that moment, Ginger had seen her last option of grabbing back her hat and went for it while Rocky still had his eyes closed. Now they opened wide as Ginger dived for her belonging, only to cause a dysfunction in balance.

"Ohhh!" Ginger wailed aloud as she fell straight on top of Rocky, causing the two to tumble down the grassy mound towards the field below. Both were laughing hard; it wasn't a long drop down the hill. They clutched at each other as they rolled over and over toward the bottom, still fighting between them to snatch away the hat. Now they had lost all ability to talk from their laughter, but yet still trying to keep up each one's side of the challenge.

_Bump._ Both chickens landed softly into the thick, smooth grass, Ginger finally resting on top of Rocky, pinning him to the ground, both shutting their eyes in hilarity and laughing as hard as they could, Ginger no longer with her wings protecting her head but lying on Rocky's chest. She presented Rocky in a whole new different light, him at last seeing his girlfriend without her precious hat. _Shoot, she still can look hot without that hat. I dunno why she was trying to hide this from me. She'll always be pretty._

The laughter dying to weak giggles to save breath, Rocky gazed at Ginger seriously in the pit of her eyes. "Y'know..." he began sweetly, "Ya really know how to lift a guy off his feet."

Ginger smiled shyly, the blush coming back to her cheeks. "You're not so bad at it yourself, flyboy," she whispered gently. "Well...except for the 'guy' part," she added hastily and with a little laugh of embarrassment.

A slow silence followed, as the two continued to stare into each other's eyes. Then finally Rocky spoke up. "Erm...ya forgot your hat," he joked adorably, lifting the fallen object up off the grass and handing it over to Ginger with a cheeky grin.

Ginger sighed to herself as she kindly took it out of his wing with a soft giggle. "Thank you," she replied sweetly, fingering it slowly and carefully as she smiled down at him. _I don't need to ask him about those things right now, _she told herself. _Not now. Not when everything is as perfect as this._

Rocky shrugged cheekily. "You're welcome," he answered deeply, his brown eyes lighting with mischief.

Both of the couple shutting their eyes in unison, they both slowly leaned together to join the other in a loving kiss. As it grew deeper, Rocky unhurriedly reached out a wing and took careful hold of Ginger's neck scarf, slowly and gently pulling her in closer to strengthen the kiss. Ginger returned it with no objection.

Both hearts yearning together, each one said the same similar sentence._ Right here...now is perfect. This is where we need to be...together...forever._

**_{To be continued}_**

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_(A/N: I know! This was a bit of a romantic scene, but I love writing them! I promise it won't always be this way, I will add some different genres into the story. Please review! I want to know what you think!)_


	2. Arrival by Night

_Arrival by Night_

_(A/N: O.K, second chapter up! I'm sorry if the last one went on for quite a long time, this one is a little more promising, and it actually begins to go somewhere. I'm grateful for at least getting one review! Really, I don't mind. At least it wasn't a flame, I don't mind getting those but as long as they're not too bad. I'll be writing the third chapter soon!)_

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Night was now beginning to fall among the sanctuary, and most of the hens and their chicks were thinking about making their way to bed. It was always a funny sight for anyone to see, children complaining that it was still too light, trying to tug away from their parents as they were almost forced into the huts. Often, especially for the little ones, it usually ended up in tears, or some form of harsh argument, which then decided to leave for punishment.

But as soon as the chicks were at rest, quiet descended on the island. The silence of the night was a time that many enjoyed, for it held quiet comfort and solitude, the peacefulness was wonderful, though many up goers were held responsible for any loud noises or as Fowler said; 'Improper respect for other's slumber, raising uncanny clatter.' So it was usually on your head be it if so much as a shout disturbed the chickens and Nick and Fetcher from trying to sleep.

Recovered from the escapade on the grassy hill, Rocky and Ginger were still sitting out on the ground, in a corner of the island not too far from the water. Ginger had insisted of sitting out here tonight because it was one of her favourite spots. They could see the soft, hazy moon reflecting down on the water, causing it to become shattered as it rippled along the calm waves. It was rather a cold night, with a gentle breeze blowing along the grass and causing it to twitch, but neither chicken suggested on going back to their hut.

Ginger had been so happy when Mac had recommended for her and Rocky to both share a hut together that she was absolutely speechless. It was either that or to hide the fact that a sudden blush had arrived to the young hen's cheeks, which would have made her tone of voice sound embarrassed and rather squeaky. For this, Mac had extended their shelter to be twice as wide, and added with a sly look that it was mainly for 'oncoming visitors', which caused Ginger's blush to grow twice as strong and a slight giggle to escape.

She still was a little uncertain about the subject of children. What would Rocky think if she just suddenly asked him about what names he liked? She didn't even know if he was keen or not...in fact, she wasn't quite sure herself. She didn't want to lose what she already had, and she didn't want to make it worse for the both of them either. She was unsure about how Rocky would react...if he grew embarrassed, or cross, maybe even too happy that it darted Ginger away from the idea._ I don't want him to think I'm rushing into everything, _she thought to herself. _We haven't really been here that long...what would he wonder if he knew I was thinking about children already? I'm being silly about the whole thing. Like I've said, it just needs some time. I don't know why I worry._

"You're thinking again," came a playful deep voice from her side.

Ginger didn't even know her eyes were shut until she felt them opening in surprise. She jumped a little in shock and darted her green eyes towards the sky mindlessly._ Rocky. He's gotten so used to me now, he knows me inside out,_ she told herself mentally._ I didn't even know he was watching me. I was a million miles away._ "What?" she asked quietly, pretending as if she hadn't a clue what her boyfriend had just said.

Rocky smirked cheekily. "Ya are, aren't ya? Knew it. That's why ya looked as if ya was in your own little world, dreaming about me...and life...and stuff...and _me..."_

Ginger laughed gently at Rocky's sentence._ How that he never runs out of jokes is beyond me._ she thought as she turned to look at Rocky with a sweet smile. "How do you know what I'm thinking about?" she wondered sweetly.

"C'mon, it's not that difficult to tell, is it? I mean...you've got this faraway look..." Rocky pulled a ridiculous face, trying to imitate Ginger. He crossed his brown eyes awkwardly and presented a mischievous grin. "See? I'm thinking now...'bout stuff...hold on..."

Ginger began to laugh again. "I do _not _look like that!" she sniggered harmoniously, hitting Rocky playfully on the wing, causing him to break out of his impersonating trance and laugh along too. Ginger loved to watch Rocky laugh. _He just makes me want to melt down from the heat. _she pondered. _I love the way his eyes scrunch up...gosh, he's handsome. No wonder people love hearing his jokes._

"Well, you were the one who begged to sit here," Rocky said, still smiling playfully, tearing up a blade of grass. "Who was the one who dragged me away from a nice, soft _bed,_ and said; "Oh, Rocky! Let us sit out by the water's edge! Let us bask in the glorious rays of the moonlight!" All while Rocky was imitating Ginger's words, he sent his voice up to an annoying high pitch, which sounded irregular and cracked in places.

Ginger laughed as she placed her wings over her ears. "Stop, please! It's horrible!" she joked.

Rocky pretended to sulk and look rather hurt. "Aw, c'mon. My voice ain't _that_ bad."

"It was...just then!"

"It can't be any worse than _Gramps!"_ Rocky shot back rudely, referring to Fowler during a time when he wanted to do nothing more than rant and rave, about his days back in the R.A.F and now...how he helped in the rescue mission of his fellow chickens.

The young hen tried not to laugh but she couldn't help herself. "I'll tell him that you said that!" she giggled, her bright green eyes lighting up in harmony.

"Who cares?"

"You will, when he finds out!"

"Yeah, right," the rooster sighed as he threw the remains of his torn blade of grass over his shoulder and staring at Ginger as if he had just struck onto something funny. "You're telling me about people finding out about stuff? What about _you_ and your _precious_ hat, huh? Tell me _that!" _His brown eyes darted to her head, where her hat now sat firmly in place._ What was the deal in her taking it off? _he wondered curiously to himself. _It wasn't that much of a problem. I still think she looks cute without it, no matter what she says._

Ginger followed Rocky's gaze to the top of her head, placing a wing over her green woven hat for protection, just in case he tried another attempt to steal it. She had picked it up after the hill and was planning on keeping it where she believed it belonged.

"Yes, well...that's different," she remarked huffily, though trying not to blush as she caught Rocky's stare on her. "You weren't supposed to see me without it."

"Why not?" Rocky fired back adorably, his question catching Ginger by surprise.

It took a while for her to find words to fit. She opened her mouth but then shut it again, trying to think of a decent answer. _How can he always find something to say back to people, no matter what the question? _she thought in frustration. _He's so witty...he just says the first thing that comes into his head. Oh, if I don't think of something to say soon he'll take over the conversation again..._

Rocky was just about to share his winning comment when Ginger suddenly interrupted him with her own. "It's just something that shows who I am," she told him softly. "A sort of symbol, I suppose. It's just what others know me by." Her own answer even astonished herself. _Did I really say that? Is that even true? I don't know what others know me by...but I hope to the high heavens that it's not this godforsaken hat! _She laughed again at Rocky's speechless expression.

"They shouldn't, Ginge," he said in his rich voice, his tone sounding sincere. "I know _I_ don't just know ya by a hat. You're more than that to me." _Much more,_ he thought privately. _I think that she's the only chick I've ever fallen for...excluding the crushes and all that garbage...but somehow...this feels like it's...what people call it. The right...or real thing. Something like that._

Ginger's heart fluttered inside at her boyfriend's words, leaving her feeling as if she were on fire. "Oh, Rocky - thank you," she murmured shyly, staring at the grass mindlessly and pulling up a blade of her own. She remembered how Rocky had looked at her without her hat. Sort of surprised...but enchanted all at the same time. _He really does see me more than what some of the others do, _she thought to herself happily. _He doesn't know me as just a leader. He knows me as Ginger. Some of my closest friends do too, but Rocky is somewhat special to think that. I don't know why._

The young rooster smirked slightly as he watched Ginger tear the blades of grass in embarrassment, trying to avoid his eyes as her cheeks burned. "If ya keep doing that, ya won't have any grass left," he joked kindly, taking her by the wing to halt her actions, for she was now ripping the blades into tiny pieces, and then ripping those into even smaller ones.

Gasping in astonishment, Ginger noticed the torn meadow in her wings and hurriedly dropped them back down to earth. She still felt quite shy from Rocky's earlier comment, even though he spoke it about nearly a minute ago. _I've waited my whole life for my feet to be on this grass, _she thought crazily. _And I'm treating it like I don't need it anymore. Rocky's right. If I keep doing this I won't have any more left. I'm being ridiculous...I bet Rocky thinks that too. _She flushed a little dimly this time. "I'm being silly again," she smiled weakly, fingering the grass this time with a feather instead of pulling it up.

Rocky sighed in sympathy and rolled his eyes at her. _She doesn't half make people feel sorry for her,_ he pondered caringly. _It's just this look she gets, like as if she's done something wrong. Cheer up, Ginge._ Scooting over to her side, he put his wing around her comfortingly and hugged her close. "Come here," he breathed in his deep, kind voice, hoping Ginger wouldn't burst into tears at his words. He gulped before speaking. "You're _not_ being silly, Ginge," he remarked charmingly.

Ginger laid her head onto his shoulder; feeling wanted and loved more than she'd ever done in her life. All of that time she had been in the farm and dreamed of her parents...the way she wished they would burst into the hut and proclaim that they were taking her home, away from all of the torture and pain of the fear she experienced. She remembered that her first friend she had made there was killed within a few hours. Ginger hadn't even asked for her name. That memory seemed to burn into Ginger's head like no other, and she couldn't rid of it. That was the first time she had realised the danger she was living in.

She shuddered a little at these disturbing thoughts, her head still resting on Rocky's shoulder.

Rocky grinned. "Cold?"

"No. No - not really."

"But you're shivering."

"I am?"

"Yeah, ya are."

"Not from the cold," Ginger added hastily, hoping that Rocky would leave the subject where it was and not continue it any further. In truth, she was hotter than she'd ever been this night. She snuggled down further, trying to make it look like she was warm enough as she was.

"Then...what from?" Rocky asked in confusion.

"Never mind," Ginger said shortly, hoping that he wouldn't press it further for another second. She shut her green eyes and settled in the silence, the breezes were hardly up and they seemed to have dropped as soon as Rocky had asked her if she were cold. _How ironic, _Ginger giggled to herself under her breath. _Things seem to come your way when you least expect it._

Rocky just sighed sweetly. "Shoot," he mumbled to himself quietly. "I'll never understand girls." His wing hugged Ginger closer to him, maybe not from the cold but more from protection. Rocky had to admit that he never liked the idea of another rooster getting close to his girlfriend. He didn't mean to be the jealous type, but somehow resentment always overpowered him.

He heard the sound of Ginger's protest. "Rocky! I said I _wasn't_ cold!" Ginger had felt his grip tighten and she wondered if she had been shivering still. She looked up into his handsome features with bemused eyes, wondering what was troubling him. _He seems so quiet tonight,_ she told herself thoughtfully. _So quiet. He's trying to hide it with his usual jokes, I can see. What's he really thinking?_

She felt her expression narrow itself in sympathy as she noticed how troubled he suddenly seemed to be. "Are you alright?" she asked in a kind, sweet voice, almost a whisper as it contained some of her deepest feelings.

"Hmm? Oh, yeah," Rocky answered casually, releasing his grip a little on Ginger, suspecting that she had felt his protectiveness for what he had actually thought. He cleared his throat again and drove his gaze up to the stars absent-mindedly._ She can always tell when something's up, _he said to himself. _It's like some sort of thing with chicks. How come girls can do it, but not always guys? Sometimes life isn't fair._ He chuckled to himself a little, sharing his own thoughts.

"What?" Ginger pondered gently, watching him laugh beside her. "What's so funny?"

"Oh, nothing."

"Rocky - please tell me," she begged, hoping against hope that he would, and stop hiding these sorts of secrets from her own will. _So much as I can say,_ she reminded herself angrily. _I thought I told myself to tell him sometime soon. I actually planned on explaining it to him tonight. And I haven't gotten anywhere! I suppose my nerves are getting the best of me. Every time I think about bringing it up, I feel sick._

Rocky looked down at her with a deep sigh. As usual his heart pitied for the young hen, her bright green eyes glistening up at him as though she was almost expecting to bust into tears. The rooster's heart contracted with emotion, the expression being far too painful. He shifted a little and gulped in a way that made Ginger smile. "I can't, Ginge," he finally muttered.

"Why ever not?"

"Because..." he strained his hardest for a reasonable answer. "...I forgot."

Ginger couldn't help it. She had to release a soft, comforting laugh, which rang through the breeze at a beautiful tone. It made Rocky feel a lot more comfortable and less fidgety, which he was immensely grateful for. He chuckled handsomely so that their laughs echoed in the night sky.

"I should think you _have!"_ Ginger giggled gently, hugging Rocky close, completely forgetting her whole wanting of need for the answered question. "The time it took for you to tell me...no wonder you can't remember - " Her eyes widening, she trailed off, suddenly glancing at him quite suspiciously, staring at him as if she had uncovered something. She gave him a tease of a glare. "Or _can_ you?" she wondered slowly.

"What?" Rocky was completely at a loss.

Instead of a sneaky comeback as he was expecting, Ginger just gave him a pleasant beam. _Always acting so innocent. Don't play this one on me. _"I can never tell what a Lone Free Ranger thinks of in his spare time," she concluded, sighing softly through her words, taking heed to notice how bight the stars were in an excuse to avoid Rocky's dark brown eyes, which were making her set alight from the inside.

Rocky gave her a cheeky grin. "What do ya think?"

"Oh, be quiet," Ginger teased, playfully reaching up a wing and ruffling Rocky's red comb as a joke. _Sometimes he can say the rudest things, but he still manages to bring a smile out of me. I'm sure that he wasn't thinking about anything too offensive._ She let out another harmonious titter as she witnessed her boyfriend's dishevelled appearance. The strands of his comb stuck out at odd angles and gave Rocky sort of a laid-back style, untidier than usual.

Rocky however, didn't find her act amusing. With a small, shocked look crossing his face mildly, he reached up his wings to his comb and felt about frantically. _Doesn't she understand how I feel about these sorts of things? _he thought hysterically. _Geesh, it takes me forever to get this just right and then she goes and ruins it!_ He wasn't _really_ angry, just annoyed at what was going on. After all, it could always be sorted in under a minute easily, it was just Rocky's failing part of his personality...he was extremely proud.

"Ginge!" he exclaimed aloud. "You've messed it up!"

Ginger was used to his outbursts and didn't take this seriously as she did when he first began his tantrums. Instead, she gave him a glare that read; 'Serves you right' and tried to hide the creeping smile that was slowly appearing on her face. "I see no difference, Rocky. Really," she encouraged, wishing and longing to bring his wings back down to his sides, for his fidgeting was really beginning to irritate her the slightest. "You still look handsome."

"I'm serious, Ginge!" he argued defensively. "I know what ya said about the hat thing...but this is getting too far!" He lowered his wings finally, though his comb was still vaguely out of place. He gave her a playful glare. "I can't even see what's wrong with it," he drawled deeply, catching Ginger's eye inspecting it closely.

"Nothing! It looks fine!"

"Says you," he backfired, once more raising his wings to the top of his head, pulling and trying to straighten each comb strand individually, praying with crossed feathers that his new solution of neatening was improving. Ginger watched him closely, smiling. Rocky thought that he was making the situation better, well in fact, now it looked positively ten times worse, though Ginger didn't want to disappoint him by offering her own opinion.

"Well?" he asked hopefully, lowering his wings and showing her the result.

Ginger tried to hold back a smirk. "It...it looks fine," she repeated barely.

Rocky brought his wings down into his lap, giving his sniggering girlfriend a meaningful glare. "I know ya lying, aren't ya? I _knew_ that ya would - right." The rooster halted his sentence abruptly by rapidly turning his head from Ginger and rising from the floor, so he straightened up tall.

This shocked Ginger a little at his actions. "Where are you going?" she asked worriedly.

Rocky tugged frantically at his tousled comb, now beginning to stick up in places that he would never have stepped outside in if it was up to him...besides the fact that the young rooster would always make sure that he appeared suitable and decent outside of the bunk was beyond the question and beside the point. "To find a mirror," he replied with a half-smarmy grin. "I wanna inspect the damage and sort it out. Won't be a sec."

Ginger giggled again in a soft melody as she watched Rocky slowly make his way back to their hut, still trying to recover his pride by arranging his comb in the stylish way that he liked and held it in that order. She saw him muttering curses under his breath as one separate strand kept flailing down inconveniently in his dark eyes.

Finally, the speck that was Rocky vanished from her view as he stepped into the hut, and she saw a light appear, as he must have turned the lantern on that they kept. She sighed slowly and shook her head in humour. _I wish I had never messed it up; he made such a fuss about it. He can act a little childish when worst comes to...well, worst. If that's what he thought was worst._ In telling truth, Ginger wanted a little peace for a moment, to clear her thoughts. These were the only things in which she discussed her private feelings, happenings and emotions.

Ginger returned her gaze to the water's edge where she insisted on staring upon the brightness of the moon and the twinkling stars. For the first time she wondered what time it was...surely it was past midnight. She thought about her and Rocky sitting out until daybreak, when the sun would rise over those green, lush, beautiful hills of hers. Maybe they could watch it...a sunrise...that would be nice._ No, marvellous. _Ginger thought day dreamingly.

She let out a satisfied sigh and leant backward on the grass, small strands of it tickling her feathers. She was in paradise...and she knew it. Ginger recalled how the farm had seemed almost like torture...pain...fear...a _prison._ She and her friends were always treated not respectfully, every day, cowering in tight groups, wondering if their very lives would be destroyed. _And they almost were..._ Ginger's voice in her head rang out, giving her a tiny shiver.

Pushing the thoughts away, she let her fright and worry float away on the breeze, so that she felt free again. She should relax now...not think about the farm and it's terrifying moments, they were in the past. _And the past should be placed behind you. _Ginger told herself properly. _All that there is for me to do now...is to look towards the future, and be prepared for it too._

A nearby splash suddenly sounded abruptly, casting Ginger out of her peaceful thoughts and opening her bright green eyes in shock. She spun her head in the direction of the sound, which came from the right to where she was sitting, further down the lake and behind the hill. Moments later after silence, the splash was followed by a low thump and a deep groan.

Ginger's heart thumped in her throat as she listened intensively. "H-Hello?" she whispered out nervously, her senses felt completely numbed. "Is anyone there?"

No answer responded. _Oh, gosh..._she panicked in her thoughts, her head racing with confusing ideas,_ Someone's out there...I can feel it. Oh, Rocky - where are you? Why are you taking so long? _Ginger shivered, feeling cold and afraid all over. Her nerves gave a second, sudden jolt as her eyes wandered onto a new lone shadow, making its way steadily up the bank, upon the lush, night time green bank. It appeared unrecognisable, she couldn't make out what it was.

Though in the position where she sat, Ginger didn't move. She just _couldn't. Oh, no…_she moaned finally in her thoughts as the silhouette reached the up most of the edge's shore, and was already halfway up the hill. Whatever it was...didn't seem to be injured, Ginger could tell that from a distance. It wasn't hurt, and it looked altogether strong. It came ever closer, unaware of another presence.

_Oh, Rocky..._ Ginger prayed in her thoughts, despite that her heart was already considering the bravest options for her to choose,_ Come back...come back...where are you? Please, come back..._

**_To be continued_**

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_(A/N: Ooh, whatever could it be? I'm currently writing the third chapter, so it could take longer than this one did to post up. It would be so nice if I got to thank lots more readers at the beginning of the next chapter, though it's really up to you whether you want to read this or not...I'm no judge, lol. The plot is beginning to thicken as you've noticed. Thanks everyone!)_


	3. Azul

_Azul_

_(A/N: Finally, the third chapter! I'm sorry about the long wait (I think it was April when I last updated…my word.) and from rumours I've heard the CR section is beginning to fade. I hope this makes up for it, and will entertain the waiting crowd!)_

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Ginger froze, continuing to stare into the night. She had never felt so frightened in a long time, not since she had been at the farm and had dreaded the thought of death and the lives of her friends. Maybe it had been nothing, and she was just getting flustered for no purpose?

Struggling with her unmoving thoughts, she thought back to the time when she had felt afraid, and her heart had last frozen like this. Mr. Tweedy had discovered them all, working away with his tools on their flying machine. What had she done then? Stood her ground? Shivered in a corner? Gave herself up?

No. She had fought. She had commanded revenge, and it had worked. Ever since she had stood up to the blustering farmer she had felt a sense of victory last night, and not just because of their success, not because she had left the Tweedys far behind in a pool of gravy, but because she had conquered her fears and left her feeling proud of herself, of everyone for trying.

Though her mind was screaming at her, Ginger found herself rising quickly from the grass and forcing courage within. Gathering what frown she could manage, she rushed quickly over to the water's edge and found herself shouting in her own voice, a voice harsh and brave.

"Hey, _stop!_ Who's there?"

She heard the sounds freeze in place before she turned and confronted the shadow, now backing off from her in the dark but heading away from the water. Ginger marched after the stranger, fire in her eyes, and caught up behind, easily surprising the intruder as they had not expected her to follow.

She reached out a wing and took firm hold of the other, noticing when she had first seen it that it was at her height, only a little taller. It was a chicken, then. There was no mistaking that. She pulled roughly to bring the stranger backwards, and to halt their movement. A cry of astonishment came from the new chicken, as this was also startling.

"What? What?" the voice demanded quickly, and rather out of fear. "Let go of me!"

"No! Not until you tell me who you are!" the young hen snapped back, her determined voice sounding hard and clear against the night. She felt shocked at her words but persisted not to care. "Who are you? Where did you come from?"

"I – I'll tell you if you let me go," the voice said, quietly stammering. It was a strange voice, Ginger had never heard of it before, it was not a foreign accent…she was aware of it, it sounded English. It was higher than she was expecting, though at times it fell into deep tones. Now that they were in way of the moonlight, she was starting to see his appearance a little.

Yes, _his_ appearance. It was a rooster.

Ginger, though not entirely satisfied, studied the statement carefully. Her green eyes always twinkled when she thought over something, and they did so now. "You won't run away?" she asked, her suspicion creeping in. He could take off the minute she let go. She hoped it wasn't another thief on his way, or something like that. Rocky had told her about them.

"No! No," the rooster begged blandly. "I won't."

"Promise?"

"I promise you, I _won't."_

Sighing slowly, Ginger released her hold on the rooster's wing, noticing how he stood his ground on steady feet and turned to face her. She felt pleased with how she had handled the situation, he didn't seem dangerous or ready to fight back, and was ready to listen. He hadn't spoken until the promise and made no chance to run.

Well, no wonder he had appeared as a shadow – his feathers were black! They were the colour of a raven's, and stuck out strikingly in the light. The top part of his ruffle was a lighter brown colour, which protruded from his head down to his neck and consisted of neat feather arrangements, which stuck out from all sides. He wore a faded violet bandanna around his neck (the knot facing the front), and his plumage tail was of a green-teal shade.

Feeling a little calmer, Ginger let her temper settle and looked on at the stranger with an apologetic look in her eyes. It wasn't usual for the island to have visitors, so often she would snap whenever something unordinary happened. She hoped she hadn't offended him.

"I told you I wouldn't run," he said with a humble smile.

The hen laughed, almost instantly. "I'm sorry," she giggled meekly. "I didn't know what to expect, I thought you were sneaking up from behind me."

The rooster smiled, a very polite and sophisticated smile, to note. "That's perfectly fine, m'am. I wasn't intending to receive the warmest welcome at once," he told her. "I tell you I was shocked though, when you pulled me back like that. I was beginning to think I was under arrest."

"I'm…really sorry…" Ginger trailed off, feeling silly, and casting her eyes to the ground. "It's not often we have others come here, you know…it's sort of a sanctuary to us. We were hoping for the chance of new arrivals to come by it soon, but maybe we waited too long before we were ready for that hope."

He laughed, "I see what you mean."

She smiled, and cleared her throat. "Maybe you were surprised as much as I was," she began kindly, straightening out her hat, which was beginning to slip. "I never really explained who I was, did I? I could have been anyone who slipped out of the dark."

"You could," he agreed, laughing a little at his weak jokes.

"I apologise," she said again, wanting to make up for her actions as much as she possibly could. "It was my first thought. What would you have done if I hadn't come to see who you were? Where would you have gone?"

He raised his blue eyes upwards, as if searching for an answer. Finally, a small, confused smile played upon his face, his beak shifting into an amusing grin. "Frankly, I wouldn't be sure," he admitted honestly, his light red comb hung back behind his head. It didn't stick up like Rocky's always did. "Maybe I would have asked for help on one of these huts. Did you build them yourself?" He gestured towards them as if in marvel.

"Well, Mac designed them, and…" the hen stopped as she noticed the puzzled look on the stranger's face. He obviously had no idea what she was talking about. She shook her head, remembering he was new. "I'll tell you more later. Yes, they were built," she said.

The newcomer approved them with a nod of his head as he inspected the lot. "Very good craftsman work," he praised in his classy voice. "I find it a hobby of mine to construct objects like this…possibly like your friend 'Mac'." His eyes shifted as he looked back once again to the water's edge, his smile fading a little as he spotted another shadow on the hillside.

"I can't say the same for my raft," he muttered gloomily. "It must have dashed against the bank or something, many of the logs have come loose from the rope. It wasn't very well done together though, I might add. It was a quick job, really. More of a test run, if you will." He let out a low sigh and shook his head a little, his eyes turning away from the bank.

"Oh, you came on a raft?" Ginger asked curiously, only just realising that she hadn't even bothered to ask how the stranger had come to find this place. It was surrounded by water, after all…maybe the shock just send her into questions at first, it had never occurred to her at all. "It's not _too_ badly damaged?"

"Possibly not," the rooster sighed out. "I'll be able to fix it. It was just happening to fall apart within feet of this island…I had to stop somewhere or there might have been the chance that it had run aground." He suddenly laughed, as if only just hearing what he had said. "I suppose I'm the same, now," he joked.

Ginger smiled again, feeling sorry for his predicament more and more with every sentence he spoke. "I can't really offer anything," she began slowly, "Then to ask you to stay for a while until you're ready to return on your way?" she quickly stopped, feeling a little flushed at her dismiss. "I mean," she corrected, "Unless you plan to stay, or something."

"Thank you, m'am," the rooster replied, his eyes gleaming. "I do intend to stay for a while, until my raft is mended for repair. It's quite kind of you. I cannot thank you enough."

"You're welcome here," Ginger said kind-heartedly. "I'm sure we have a hut nearby that we can spare for you. It's the least I can do for my behaviour earlier, and I'm sure I'll tell the others in the morning of you." She darted a glance upwards at the full moon. "Now may not be the best of times to wake them," she smiled.

He only chuckled a little, his laugh high and ringing.

"I'll have to make a proper introduction for you tomorrow, then," said Ginger, getting down to the facts and settling things in an orderly manner of hers that she often went through. "It would be best if I got everyone together and arranged some time for you with them, just to keep things calm and everything – oh! The time that we normally all wake is when Fowl – when the rooster crows in the morning. You'll be able to hear it, all right," she added.

The rooster grinned, nodding his head. "I'll make a note of it."

"Good," Ginger began, turning back again to the waterside. "I really am sorry about your raft. Should we move it clear for the night or…shall the next day be better for you?"

"Leave it," he answered, waving it away and smiling. "It'll be fine for now, I'll get working on it tomorrow. It's not my first time repairing it, I'll have to say…it's not the best mode of transport but at least it gets you somewhere."

The hen nodded in agreement. "Which hut would you prefer to sleep in?"

"Well…which do you recommend?"

"Um…" Ginger trailed off, searching around her. Finally, her glance landed on one in the far corner from her own, not such as a great distance from Fowler's, and then Mac's own a few feet away. It was empty for the time being, Mac had designed it for a spare just in case the plan arrangement went haywire, but it turned out to be an extra in it's own cost.

Her eyes brightened. "That one, I should think," she pointed out. "It's large and empty and it's suitable at least." She turned to face him, a smile upon her face. "Take this as a further apology for my bombardment," she giggled. "It will be good to have someone new on the island."

The rooster smiled again, delighted with the offer. "Very well, I'll take it."

Ginger beamed comfortingly, the escapades of the night remembered inside of her mind. It was only when she had thought a few pregnant moments had passed, when she had forgotten something important…probably one of the most important things she had to say. Cursing herself silently, she finally spoke up. "You'll meet the others tomorrow, I hope. Just to know I'm a friend, my name is Ginger," she smiled at her response and hoped it didn't sound too rushed. "What might yours be?"

It took a while for the rooster to reply, possibly a few seconds or so, but in the end, he at last replied, his black feathers highlighted against the moonlight and his blue eyes sparkling. "Azul," he said quietly, his voice dropping down to a friendlier level. "My name is Azul."

**_To be continued_**

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_(A/N: Well, the third chapter is finally done! Are you pleased with me? I hope this awaits those who were so patient for it, and sorry it took so long. Life shall be returned to the CR section!)_


	4. New Name

_New Name_

_(A/N: Wow, this story was missed, lol. I got so many reviewers for the third chapter, thank you! It encouraged me to write a fourth, so I have. I'm pleased that there are some people who have been with this dragging story since it was posted; I especially have you to thank.)_

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"Hey, hey…what're you…?" Rocky was disturbed the following morning by sunlit rays hitting him sharply in the face, narrowing his eyes as he attempted to shield himself. He rubbed his face sleepily with his wings, his hair tousled from sleep.

Ginger had been pacing back and forth for quite a while now, waiting for her boyfriend to wake up. In impatience, somewhere halfway through her walk, she had thrown the door open in a last try…of course bringing in the morning to rouse him. It had in fact, worked like a charm but Ginger still never stopped her action.

Rocky's dark eyes revealed confusion as he stared at her. "Ginge…" he groaned, his eyes shutting slowly as he stretched back out onto the bed, his deep voice dragging. "Ginge…what's the time? How long have you been marching like that?"

Now she shook her head at him, watching him snuggle back into the confounds of his rest. "Rocky, I've been waiting ages for you to get up…don't even think about drifting off again." She forced back a laugh as he ignored her still, yawning widely but trying to pretend that he was already asleep.

"Eh…why didn't ya just wake me properly?" he asked groggily.

"I would have done, but it probably wouldn't do much good," she almost snapped back, her green eyes wide with edginess. She forced herself to walk over to the bed with the little humour she had and tried to shake him. "Come on."

"No, Baby Doll…_please…"_

Ginger rolled her eyes. "I thought I told you not to call me that, anymore."

"Yeah, but I can't be bothered to listen…ya know that…"

Huffing in bother, Ginger straightened up, showing that she meant what she said. "Yes, of course I know. Can you please wake up now?"

Rocky blinked sleepily. "What?"

"I said…" Ginger began slowly, teetering on the edge of losing her temper, "Are you going to get up now, Rocky? There's something I have to say."

Shifting about clumsily, Rocky thought over this for a few moments. Often he did this, annoying her to the most level that she could take. He knew it wasn't a good idea to get her angry so soon in the morning, but he could tell she was urgent about something and he wanted it to wait as much as possible.

"Hmm…_nah…"_ he droned.

"Fine!" Ginger joked back, trotting off to the corner of the hut, where a container of water lay on a stand by the wall. Rocky heard her moving towards it and managed to lift up his head enough to watch her, suspicion in his voice.

"Where ya going?"

Ginger smiled him a sly smile as she made to pick up the container in her grasp, almost a smile to convince him that what he was about to get would not be as pleasant as he was wishing it to be. This had happened before, and Ginger knew that Rocky could sense it. "There's always this way," she laughed. "It's cold and wet…"

"Um…nah – I'll get up," Rocky stumbled quickly, sitting up so fast and dodging away to the side of the wall, away from the water. "Just don't get me with the water, huh? _Put…it…down…"_ he joked, motioning slowly as if it would go off at any moment. There was a slight smile tugging away at his face.

The container was released and placed back on the stand. Ginger didn't really see any point now that he was up, it wouldn't be as much fun. Sighing, she turned to him and smiled. "Did you hear me before?" she asked, challenging him.

"Er…yeah, you said ya had something to say."

"Oh, so you do listen. Well, yes. I have something to tell you, Rocky, and hopefully the rest of the others before the day is through," Ginger said.

Rocky frowned, looking surprised. "What is it?"

Now Ginger shifted about on the spot, rubbing a dirt mark into the floor with her foot. "Well…do you remember last night? When we were sitting out together?"

Grinning, Rocky nodded slowly. _"Yeah…"_

"Oh, Rocky – pay attention! Can you remember what happened afterwards? You had to back inside to sort yourself out…I think you must have gone to sleep then, because you were like that when I came back. Anyway, while you were gone…something happened."

Now Rocky seemed shocked, thinking of all the options it could be. Something dangerous perhaps…had something terrible happened to her while he had been sleeping away like a blooming baby? He couldn't remember her crying out, otherwise he might have heard her. "Like what?" he asked slowly.

"Well," Ginger began again, "I heard this noise down by the riverbank…and when I went to go and investigate, there was someone there. Heaven knows…it was one of us! Well, not one of _us,_ but a rooster! He'd travelled here over a while, on a raft, Rocky! Can you believe it?"

Finding all of this hard to take in, Rocky stared at her for a moment. Then he snapped back, blinking quickly. "Whoa, back up!" he said, turning his feathers in that particular action. "Let's rewind here. Are you trying to tell me that another rooster came to the island last night?" His voice went rather high as he finished.

"Well…yes."

Rocky stared at her, dumbfounded. There were a few moments of silence before he spoke up, addressing her. "I never expected you to say 'yes'," he said, a small frown playing across his face, shadowing his eyes.

"Oh, what did you want me to say?" Ginger argued back.

" 'No' would be great! That would have made my day, Doll-face!"

"Why on Earth were you wanting me to say that?" Ginger questioned.

"Well, I - " here Rocky cut off, rubbing the back of his neck with his wing and staring her right in the eye, not wanting to answer but finding no way out of it. At first he wasn't sure if she was making it up…it sounded as if she wasn't, though. "I-I thought you were joking," he finished clumsily.

"As you've probably figured out already, I'm not," Ginger retorted, finishing. She stared up at Rocky, feeling a little perplexed herself. Why was he taking this so hard? Usually he didn't mind if something new happened.

Now Rocky sighed indignantly, patrolling across the room himself and looking as if he were going to throw himself about in rage. "What's he want here?" he demanded, his voice quite shrill. "What's he come here for?" he rounded on Ginger, who had her wings crossed over her chest and was staring at him still.

"Did he tell ya?" Rocky asked.

"No, not really. He came here by accident, he said. He needs to find somewhere to stay until his raft is mended. I said I wouldn't mind if he rested here for a while…you don't mind, do you, Rocky?" Ginger looked up at him, her eyes searching him for responses.

Rocky huffed. "Course I don't mind, Ginge. Whatever gave ya that idea?"

"I can't imagine," sighed Ginger, rolling her eyes.

Stepping over to her, Rocky brushed back his comb and let it flop back into place as he considered what to do. He glanced at her thoughtfully, his beak pursed. "Did he give you a name?" he questioned slowly.

Ginger nodded, feeling relieved at a simple request. "Yes, he did. Azul, I think it was. He's British, Rocky…don't laugh!" For at that moment, a small smirk had begun to cross the rooster's face, trying to hold back some sort of chortle. Ginger knew that even asking for a name was not what he was _really_ after.

Scoffing, Rocky chuckled. "What kind of a name is _that?"_

"I'm not sure, I've never heard of it before."

"No surprise there," Rocky argued cheekily, grinning.

Ginger frowned at him a little. He really wasn't taking this news well, not as well as she had hoped him to. What difference did it make about a name? He didn't normally poke fun at the names of some of the other chickens on the island, and even if he did he kept his comments to himself. Why should this one be any different?

"Gee, what were his parents thinking?" Rocky muttered to himself.

Trying to hold in the tolerance she had left inside of her, Ginger tried to keep her temper down as she struggled to hold her cool. "Rocky, just forget about the name, all right? He stayed here overnight; he was really shaken up…" she trailed off, watching the expression on his face gradually change. "I-I thought you wanted to meet him," she finished quietly.

Now Rocky stared at her. He really didn't want to meet this newcomer, but it really seemed important to Ginger. Not that Rocky was uncomfortable talking and introducing himself to strangers, of course…but for some reason, something was holding him back from seeing him. He couldn't understand what.

"Well…" he dragged, shifting about again, "Yeah, I guess…I _suppose…_if ya really wanted me to, I would. Ya know I would, Ginge."

"So what is it?" she wanted to know.

"Oh, I dunno," Rocky stuttered. "I guess it's just so sudden, y'know? This hasn't happened before." He looked at Ginger carefully, trying to show the hidden meaning of his grudge in his eyes. How could he prevent this so quickly? He really didn't want to go out there and see this rooster for himself.

Ginger nodded carefully, thinking things over. "No, it hasn't," she admitted, finally pleased that she got a sensible answer. "But you'll have to get used to changes around here, Rocky. I should know…I've had to deal with them all my life, and I expect somewhere along you've had to as well."

Rocky darted his eyes away, taking this in. "Yeah," was all he would say.

"So please give him a chance?" she pleaded. "He's only here for a while. The least you can do is to be a friend to him. He obviously didn't have many if he was trying to get away from something, maybe that's all he needs right now. Maybe his past was a sad tale."

"He's not the only one," Rocky answered back, but his reply was inaudible to his girlfriend. She didn't hear his response and Rocky was pleased that she hadn't.

"I have to let the others know he's here," she said, beginning to bustle about, organising her time. "They haven't had the word, yet. I'll have to fetch him out and then get the rest to meet him. The last thing I want is panic and chaos when they see him out and about." She stood up on tiptoe and gave Rocky a quick kiss on the cheek.

She smiled at him. "I won't be long."

It was only a few seconds as she had made to leave the door, when she heard more footsteps approaching behind her. Turning, she saw Rocky following her back, a sort of resolute appearance in his brown eyes.

She tried to hold back a laugh. "Where are you going?" she wondered, now only inches from leaving the hut but still holding her ground to find out this mystery. Rocky really didn't want her to have any more moments alone with this stranger without him. Maybe he wanted to be friends with him, after all.

Of course, the real meaning was blind to Ginger's gaze. She, on the other hand…did not know, or had not even considered the real reason for Rocky's actions. They were something that he kept to himself, or for the time being, anyway. Until he had figured it all out, that is.

"Out," he told her, taking her by the wing and smiling at her. "Come on."

**_To be continued_**

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_(A/N: Well, another chapter's finished! I'm sorry that this chapter was only Rocky and Ginger again, but I promise next chapter will have others! I've planned out this story in full, so I can assure you more chickens will be seen in the next update. Until then, I hope you liked: smile : )_


	5. Introducing Britannia

_Introducing Britannia_

_(A/N: I am so sorry about my delays! I've been extra busy trying to work out the genuine plot of this story; I've got it all under way now so I'm back on track to writing. Um…do you think you guys can take 24 chapters: smile : I know it's a lot but there are plenty of surprises. It shouldn't take me too long now to write it up. I'm quite proud of the ending, I hope you'll like it shall I ever reach there._

_I've also had help with the Scottish accent, as one of my friends has so kindly translated it for me! Thank you for everyone who reviewed chapter 4!)_

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The sunlight was stripped and warm on their feathers as Rocky and Ginger stepped out into the open. Rocky raised his wing to his eyes to shield himself, and searched the island slowly, an expression of surprise and disbelief falling across his face. Ginger followed his stare, seeming confused.

"Hey, err…can we say _'dead'?"_ he muttered under his breath, his dark eyes watching the surroundings. There seemed to be no one in sight, hardly much commotion was going on, and it was very eerie for both of them to step into a world of silence.

Ginger frowned. "Where is everyone?"

"I dunno," Rocky shrugged, lowering his wing back down to his side and giving Ginger a doubtful look. "Maybe nobody's up yet?"

The hen shook her head. "No, it's not that early. Besides, I could have sworn that I heard a good crowd up and about this morning…before you woke."

"Hey, you woke me," Rocky reminded her, with a smirk.

"Whatever, it doesn't matter. We still need to figure out what's going on," Ginger fretted, looking around another time curiously. Everything seemed to be well in place, nothing appeared to be different. Ginger was just beginning to think that something terrible had happened when a noise came up from in front, over the hill.

Her eyes widened. "What was that?"

"What? What was what – you heard a _noise?"_

Ginger nodded slowly, listening carefully and squinting into the sunrise. "It came from up there," she pointed. "I think I heard something – someone. I think it was laughing, maybe it was Fowler."

"May_be,"_ Rocky mocked jokingly, crossing his eyes.

Trying not to laugh, Ginger tugged a little at his wing. "Stop that, come on," she told him half-seriously, pulling him further onto the island. Rocky didn't struggle, for he was as puzzled as his girlfriend was at the moment, instead he just followed at a slow pace.

As they grew closer to the hill, the sound became louder. Rocky and Ginger clambered quickly up the steep mound and peeked over the top, unsure and curious of what they would see. What lay before their eyes was indeed surprising, and caused both of them to gasp out loud.

"Holy, moly," Rocky whistled, his deep voice low with amazement. Below them, in the nearby field quarters stood a circle of chickens, gathered tightly around one individual and talking away to themselves excitedly.

The one chicken that stood in the centre was rather tall, with a figurative posture, a soft but clear voice that could be heard from afar, and even more importantly, distinctively raven black feathers…

"That's him!" Ginger suddenly blurted out, so quickly that Rocky jumped from the interruption. "That's the rooster that came here last night! The one in the middle, the dark-feathered one, can you see him?" she asked, directing her question to Rocky, who now had a strange look on his face.

After a moment of silence, he finally snapped out of it. "That's the new guy?"

"Yes, of course."

Rocky coughed a little in his throat, hoping it didn't sound too obvious. "What's the deal with the fan club?" he wanted to know, trying not to make his voice as slippery as it sounded. "He sure got popular, huh?"

Ginger noticed the tone in his voice and smiled smugly at him. "If I'm not mistaken, you weren't exactly wanting isolation when you arrived, Mr Big-Shot," she said in correction, watching his expression fall away. "You sucked it all up, am I right?" she gave him a look, which brought him a meek grin.

"Hehe, ya got me there," he recovered quickly, straightening himself up. "But what can I say? Everyone wants to be noticed." He shot another look down at the rooster again, almost looking as if he wanted to turn back and have nothing to do with him, as if he didn't want to know anything about him whatsoever. "What'd ya say his name was…again?"

Ginger sighed, hoping that this wouldn't lead up to more jokes. "Azul," she said. "And no, I don't know where it came from. Maybe if we went down and asked, he might just explain." She gave Rocky a hopeful gaze.

Rocky waited, staring up at the sky with his wings clasped. "Here's an idea!" he proclaimed, pointing at her all of a sudden. "You go down and ask, Ginge, I'll just wait up here, and – _whoa!"_ His words were stolen as Ginger quickly grabbed hold of him again and began to pull him down the hill, not even looking at him.

"Hey!" he cried out again, trying not to stumble.

"I don't know why you're so unsure on meeting him," Ginger began patiently, her approach gaining on the circle before her. "But you're at least going to say _something,_ aren't you?"

There was no response. Apparently he had given up the argument, or at long last he had run out of comments to say. He hung behind her, a small tight force of resent holding against his heart.

Why was he holding himself back?

"Excuse me!" Ginger called out politely, stepping up to the group and directing her voice. The other chickens, at the sight of her, stepped aside to let her through, wondering why their leader hadn't been up to check on this earlier. Rocky stayed back still, making uncomfortable expressions.

The noise and commotion was so loud that Ginger could hardly hear herself. Everyone seemed to be talking so excitedly and quickly that it was impossible to get a word in. For a moment, she felt like shouting to raise her voice, but she knew that even that would be a challenge. In relief, she spotted her friend Mac nearby.

"Mac!" she almost called out in reply, pushing a random hen out of the way to make a clear path, she had left Rocky behind in the chaos and didn't know if she dared to go back. She shot a glance behind her, but he was nowhere in sight, and Mac still hadn't heard her.

Ginger had to force her way up to her and tap her on the shoulder. Mac quickly looked around at the contact and saw her friend standing there, looking annoyed but confused. "Mac, thank goodness," Ginger panted, clearly not pleased with the way everyone stood out. She frowned as she glanced around at the huddle of hens, now in a tight pact gathered near Azul.

"Guid day hen! Ur ye aw reit?" Mac asked her, scribbling away at her notes as usual. Mac's appearance differed from Ginger's, with her mop comb and bucked teeth, and the magnified glasses that she always wore. The Scottish hen was Ginger's life long friend, and had been so for many years. She could always tell whenever something was wrong, like now when she saw her expression before her.

"Fine," Ginger sounded tonelessly, glancing around at the large circle before her. "Good grief."

Mac nodded, though not looking up. "Oohhh aye, quite a crowd, isnae it?"

Ginger just stared, fascinated for a moment. Then finally, she found her voice. "I-I didn't expect so many others would be here just to meet him," she commented, noticing that Mac looked up at her over her notes, surprised to hear this. "I mean…he only came last night…I wasn't intending this much attention!"

Now it was Mac's turn to stare. She put on a confused sort of face and watched her friend, and every now and then she kept darting her gaze back and forth, trying to get a glimpse of the new rooster herself. She at last turned her view to Ginger, and scratched the side of her head with her pencil.

"Och, aam sorry," she began, her voice directed loud. "Ah didne hear 'at ye awreddy kent heem." She shot a glance towards Azul, watching as he grinned at a bunch of hens, obviously talking so fast that he couldn't even hear them.

"I _do_ know him, Mac," Ginger explained, her eyes fixed on him now. "I met him alone…he'd run aground and I told him that he could stay. He seemed pretty unsure about staying here then…but now he looks as if he wants a game of twenty questions." She put her wings on her hips and frowned a little.

Mac sighed, looking about herself. "It certainly looks as if he's settled in noo," she said, her hazel eyes lighting up and beginning to search the crowds. "Um, whit aboot Mr. Rhodes? Has he mit heem yit?"

Ginger just shook her head slowly. Rocky definitely looked as if he didn't want to meet this stranger, and no doubt he had probably turned tail and rushed back to the hut, not wanting to stand about. He never had been someone patient, in Ginger's view. She let out a sigh of indignation and rolled her green eyes.

"I'll go and talk to him," she said, making her way through.

There were a few bumps and pushes and various cries, but Ginger finally managed to break through and reach the centre, marching up to Azul, not meaning to seem angry in her strides so she tried to cover it up with curiosity, and approached him.

Azul pardoned the next few questions that others were tugging for answers, and eventually caught Ginger's eye. He offered a grin at her and waved a little, explaining to the other hens that he needed to talk to someone. He squeezed his way past and walked up to her, his blue eyes full of excitement.

"Morning, Miss Ginger," he smiled, brushing himself down.

Ginger blinked, not as angry as she expected herself to be. Pointing around at the vast large circle, she faced him on. "What's all this?"

Azul chuckled. "Would you believe it? I take one foot outside this morning and I feel as if I'm ready to be attacked! Hundreds of these chickens come rushing straight at me, but not like your entry last night, I might add."

It was at this point that Ginger managed a weak smile herself.

"They're all asking me these questions, I feel as if I'm someone important! You've got a lot of decent friends here, Miss Ginger…how do you keep up with all of the names, and everything?" He pretended to stagger as if he were carrying a heavy load, before continuing. "Sorry to be such a bother, and all…"

Ginger didn't know what to think. She felt confused, but yet relieved that Azul wasn't angry or upset at all of this new awareness. She made out another small smile, but only from her thoughts. Gesturing towards the others, she offered a small acceptance, her face upwards in a friendly intake.

"Maybe there is a way to know everyone better," she said. "Tonight I'll arrange everyone together outside, if you like. You can share your story with us, then…and maybe things will be simpler."

She was pleased at the approval expression on the rooster's face. He twiddled his feathers a little and looked happy for the invitation, finally beaming brightly at her. "Thank you kindly," he told her. "I'll be looking forward to it." He finished his task of brushing himself down again, straightening out his ebony black feathers.

"Great," Ginger proclaimed, her voice softer now. "I'll arrange it all, don't worry. You'll hopefully meet everyone here and…you know, not feel like such a stranger among us anymore. We don't want you to feel uncomfortable."

"Well, I appreciate it," Azul said gratefully, grinning again. "I do."

Though she had been a little surprised at the commotion of the morning, Ginger couldn't help thinking that it wasn't Azul's fault. Somehow, he managed to not get onto her bad side much; she found that she could hardly be angry with him for anything. Unlike Rocky when he first…_Rocky!_ she suddenly remembered.

Azul was just taking off again to meet the rest of the crowd, when something snapped inside Ginger's head. "Oh, wait," she said aloud, quickly following him, watching as he turned to look at her, a little puzzled. "There's someone you haven't met just yet. Rocky…he's one of the other roosters."

There was a passive silence, broken by a squeal of protest from a nearby hen.

"Oh," Azul nodded. "I see."

"Well," Ginger continued, "Maybe tonight you can be acquainted…he's pretty unsure about all of this – he doesn't suit to change, you see…and he was sort of taken aback by all of this news. It would be great if you got to know him."

He smiled at her, but it was a bit of a clumsy smile…a little too uncomfortable for Ginger's liking. Why were these roosters so cautious around each other? Was it something to do with pride, or dignity? Ginger could never figure it out, but she didn't really want to wait around and guess.

"Of course," he replied quietly. "Of course…"

Ginger beamed back at him, not noticing the tension in his voice at all. "He also wanted me to ask you something," she said.

"Oh? What's that?"

Here she paused, hoping that her question wasn't going to sound too impolite. It had sounded fine before…now it just seemed rushed and inappropriate. She swallowed anyway, and put on a gaze that she trusted was friendly. "Um…he wonders where your name came from," she answered. "Whether it was from ancestors or just simply a favourite in your family name, he was saying so earlier."

Though it had been ruder when Rocky had mentioned the question, Ginger wasn't going to argue against that.

All that Azul offered was a sly grin, before turning away from her and stepping back into the crowd. "I suppose you'll find out tonight at the meeting," he muttered to her quietly. "I'm sure then you'll hear everything. You and this _'Rocky'."_ With that, he disappeared and was swept away again by another horde of rampaging chickens. Strangely, his voice had sounded rather hurt.

Ginger just stared at the spot where he stood, wondering what his words meant. Why couldn't he have told her then? Was there something deeper behind his character, a story to tell? The hen didn't really have a response to what she would have said if he really _had_ told her, maybe he wanted everyone to hear at the same time. Even so, why hide it from her so mysteriously?

_"Odd."_ Ginger whispered to herself, before turning back and making her way through the circle again, thinking things over carefully, and being rather glad in her heart that it hadn't been Rocky and Azul's first meeting by the yard.

**_To be continued_**

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_(A/N: I'm so sorry about the lack of updates I've been having. I have a whole bunch of new stories I've been posting and I've been trying to go back to this one in my spare time. I hope you like this chapter and expect a chapter 6 to be on its way soon! I can promise you you'll learn further into Azul's past. It's interesting, I can guarantee. Please R&R!)_


	6. Questions

_Questions_

_(A/N: O.K, another update! This chapter was brought on quickly as I realised that I can't really wait around to do a chapter every month…we'll be here almost two years! So I decided to speed things up a little. I hope this pleases some…)_

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The whole mystery was indeed forgotten by the time that the night began to settle in. Ginger had been as good as her word, organising everyone and sending the message around that there would be a meeting at the next hour. It wasn't a secret, however…everyone knew that it would be involving Azul and his arrival.

A lot of the girls were rather excited. It wasn't often that a newcomer came along to visit…Azul had been the first one since they had made the sanctuary their home. Many gossiping had been going on while the meeting time had drawn closer, whether this dashing rooster had a female friend…if he was looking, even.

"Oh, pull yourself _togetha!"_ Bunty had scolded harshly, as a few giggling hens had told her of their concerns. She couldn't see what the fuss was all about either, though she was interested in the stories and wanted to know herself. On an account, she hardly found Azul 'striking', not like the others.

As the hour closed in for the meeting time, Ginger looked out of her hut window and already saw a crowd beginning to gather in the field. She gave a small smile to herself as she watched, and called out to Rocky who was getting ready himself, but she never turned around.

"Everyone's coming together," she said. "We'd better get out there quickly."

"What's the hurry?" Rocky dawdled, straightening out his spotted neck scarf and trying not to look out into the field. "We can be just a little late, can't we?"

"No, we can't."

"Yeah, sure we can! The spokesperson's always late, Ginge," Rocky's voice sounded a little bitter as he struggled to remain out of sight. He forced a scowl from his face as he saw that Ginger had rolled her eyes, mainly out of annoyance. "I don't see why I gotta go," he sulked.

Ginger still didn't look at him, but searched the island for more groups of hens. "You have to come along, Rocky," she told him patiently. "I'd like you to hear what he has to stay too. What would you prefer? Staying indoors while everyone listens to his story outside?"

"Works for me," he shrugged.

"Oh, _Rocky!"_

"What?" Rocky remarked, pretending to act surprised, and asking with his voice a little higher than usual. "Why is this so important for you? Why do you wanna get him to know everyone? The guy's gonna leave as quick as he came!"

Ginger still couldn't understand the strain that had been building up between Rocky and Azul. It was like they were enemies, and they had barely even made eye contact. She sighed, but still refused not to look at him, and carried on staring.

Rocky continued to take forever, patrolling around the room as if in a daze, mainly to stall time. He really didn't want to go…why did he have to? Ginger had already explained to him about her talk with Azul, and Rocky wanted no such thing. He didn't feel like talking to this rooster right now, not about anything.

Finally, Ginger turned her head around and noticed that Rocky was deliberately taking too long. Fuming a little, she marched away from the window and took him by the wing, ignoring his complaints. "Come on, you're ready!" she snapped.

"What if I just stay here, huh?"

"No," Ginger frowned.

**_:--:_**

In the end, the two eventually hauled themselves out onto the island, free of arguments and disagreements, though Rocky's expression did appear quite sour. They made themselves settled in upon the grass along with the rest of the group, already noticing Azul waiting to begin at Ginger's word. Due to Rocky's pace, they were the last ones to show up. Ginger let it pass…this time.

Fowler sounded impatient, but yet eager as he said; "Let's get on with it, what-what?"

Clearing her throat a little, Ginger stood before the others, receiving a small smile from Azul as she began. "Everyone, I know yesterday was rather a shock, and maybe some surprise to the news that…we have a visitor here with us," she said.

"Pah! You can say that again!" came a cry, but was immediately disturbed harshly by Fowler's deafening voice. He tapped the unknowing chicken on the back of the head with his cane and bellowed terribly.

"QUIET!"

The silence followed, only starting up again when Ginger spoke. "Ahem, so…now's the chance for you all to meet him properly. I know that many of you may have already been acquainted, but not everyone," she continued. "And I know that he wants to be comfortable in our group, so…I'll hand you over to him now." She motioned quickly to Azul, who stood up at once and stepped into Ginger's place, while she retreated back to Rocky's side.

His grin was the first thing she noticed. "Nice speech."

"Oh, well…I was actually nervous," Ginger stammered, looking back into the crowd at Azul's posture. "I hate introducing people to others."

Rocky laughed half-heartedly. "Ya seemed O.K with me."

"If I remember," Ginger said again matter-of-factly. "You did most of the talking yourself. I could only get a few words in edgeways." A laugh sprung up when she saw the look on his face. "I suppose he's not as loud as you, either."

"And ya like that, right?" the rooster countered, tightening his grip around her wing and staring her seriously in the face.

Sighing, Ginger turned back to the crowd. "I suppose so," she whispered, keeping her voice barely over a mutter, but not noticing the deserted expression on her boyfriend's face as she turned away from him.

"Yeah," Rocky muttered quietly, his eyes downcast. "Great."

**_:--:_**

Azul opened his heart that night. His tale astounded the others, even Rocky had to admit that it was very dramatic. Though through it all, he was still welcome to share questions and answers with what he had experienced, and never showed a sign of hurt upon his face whenever something painful was accidentally brought up.

"How did you come here?" a hen quietly wondered.

"Now that's an interesting question," Azul went on. "It's been known that I make my way around from place to place by my own creations, what I travelled to your island on was a raft, made in only a few weeks…barely a month."

His talk about creations caused Mac to suddenly sit up and take notice. "Yoo're a scientist, ur a builder mebbe?" she asked quickly.

Azul shrugged a little. "I've been known to tamper a bit with that sort of thing," he explained. "Though I'm not a professional, I can assure you. It sounds as if that reaches you too, and interests _you_…am I right?" he smiled again when Mac nodded fervently.

Rocky and Ginger stood by the side, Rocky still keeping a small sulk on his face. He fixed his eyes on Ginger whenever she made signs of asking a question herself, and always stopped her when he had the chance. On the fourth time that she tried to get a word in, Rocky forced her attention away.

_"Rocky!"_

"Ginge, ya know enough about the guy already!" Rocky swung back, spinning her away from the view so that she was glaring up at him. "C'mon! L-let someone else have a turn for once," he finished lamely, stuttering, and trying to avoid her smouldering gaze as best he could.

Ginger just shook her head slowly at him. "Please…" she started. "I don't know everything about him, I am entitled to question him a bit more. You're sounding like he's part of my family or something…like he's my brother and I know more than everyone else!" At the mention of the word 'family', Ginger's heart skipped a beat. Her thoughts had wandered a little since Azul had arrived.

Now frowning slightly, Rocky attempted a backfire. "No, not that! It's just…he looks pretty busy right now, look how Agnes is…well, look at her! She's all over him!" he said diversely, staring himself at the hen as if it were a sight for sore eyes. _"Geez…"_

Bothering not to argue, Ginger didn't even want to try and argue. She gave the rooster a warning look and turned back to the group, wondering if there might be the chance for her to talk to Azul later. Until then, she would just listen…if it would do to shut Rocky up about everything she undertook anyway.

The next question caught everyone's attention; a young dark hen asked it in her rather timid voice. "W-why did you come here?"

Everyone hushed to listen what Azul had to say about this. A faraway look was distant in his blue eyes, and it took a few seconds to come back to his senses. He seemed almost sad…with a numb expression but yet with a wistful grin. "It's quite a story, actually," he told them. "A bit tragic on my half to be exact. I didn't arrive here for exploration or new travels, or whatever else most of you may think that I am. I came here to escape from my own feelings.

You see, it was complicated where I lived. A whole love story told with an unhappy ending. A heartache of mine stepped too far over the edge. I wanted a love that I could never have for myself, and I wanted it so badly that I was willing to give it up for anything in the world. Only…that person never returned the favour of what I wanted most."

Many chickens had now leant forward, suddenly interested.

"Ah, the impediments of love!" Fowler commented.

"It was hard at first, always wanting her near me. Her refusals used to make me feel all cold inside…as if I were hollow and had nothing left. I just needed her, and nobody else…and then I would have been happy. But I suppose romantic, fawning types were not for her, so she told me to let her go, and go my own way. My heart hurt so much it was actually painful.

I didn't want to go…I didn't want to leave her behind. But after two weeks I couldn't stand it any longer. I knew that I couldn't be there…be with her to deal with the pain. It hurt so much I thought I would die. So in that last month alone I built a raft, fixed it up and sailed away without a goodbye given. I didn't want to say goodbye, she didn't even want to see me, and it seemed all right to leave without a word.

I don't know if she's still waiting for me, but I doubt it really. She never liked 'blue-eyed boys', as she called them. She told me I looked too innocent, as if I were a child wanting a new friend or a playmate. And she wanted more than that…I could have given it to her if she'd wanted it. But now it's too late. This is my path onwards to a new life, and…I want to start again if I have to."

He lowered his head, thoughts intruding him. _"Strega…"_ he whispered.

There was a shocked silence that rang through the others. Everyone pitied him right then, there were no complaints of lies or wild stories, this was completely unexpected. Many of the hens were almost beside themselves with despair.

"How…romantic…" someone breathed.

"Really touching…"

"You poor _soul…"_

"Oh, c'mon!" Rocky retorted under his breath, trying to hide the sympathy in his voice. He crossed his wings and turned away, his eyes glued on the huts. His attention sprang up when he heard Azul speak again.

"Rocky!" he called out, completely startling the other rooster. Rocky had no knowledge that Azul even knew his name, he turned sharply and stared in surprise. Waiting for a response, he knew that he must have looked funny with the expression on his face, but it was an overall disbelief.

Azul forced a tight grin, keeping his eyes on him. "My name," he brought up in a low voice. "It's Spanish. Means 'blue'. Maybe for my eyes, my parents never told me. Does that answer your question?" his own was more like a challenge.

Rocky nodded dumbly, still with his wings crossed. "Yeah," he mumbled out, giving Ginger a noticeable glance. "Thanks."

He kept his attention on Azul and the others, until their gazes were all away from him. Then he rounded on Ginger, his eyes full of confusion. "You told him to say that!" he accused. "Why'd ya have to?"

_"Excuse_ me?"

"When ya saw him again this morning…why couldn't he have told ya then?"

"He wanted to explain tonight," Ginger said tiresomely. "And besides, why is it bothering you so much? You found your answer didn't you? You wanted to know what his name meant so I arranged to tell you."

Rocky frowned to himself. "It's just really shown me up, that's all."

"Oh, well, I'm _sorry!"_ Ginger argued, fire blazing in her green eyes. "Sorry for 'showing you up', I must feel _terrible!_ Not everyone bows to you whenever you want, Rocky! You don't need all the attention…all the time! Can't you at least show some respect for others?"

"I _do!"_ Rocky retorted, now angry himself. "I don't always want the attention! I do feel sorry for the guy, I just wish you'd tell me what you talk about!"

"Why?" Ginger asked exasperatingly. "Rocky, this is really beginning to get silly - " here, her words trailed off, and her expression suddenly sprung through. She tried to hold back a stifled giggle and looked up at him with triumph in her eyes and her voice hitting back with a softer tone. "I see," she almost whispered softly, but with seriousness. "Jealousy doesn't look good on you, you know."

Rocky just stared in amazement. _"Jealous?" _he almost spat out the word. _"Me?_ C'mon, Ginge – that's…that's ridiculous…" his voice wavered at the end and he suddenly cut off, going quiet. He said no more after that and kept his opinions to himself, watching the group enjoy more of Azul's tall stories.

Though their arguments happened more often than some people thought, neither a word could be gotten out of the two that night, and the only sound that remained through the evening was the high, clear ringing of laughter on the wind, that sounded from Azul himself.

**_To be continued_**

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_(A/N: I made Rocky and Ginger fight. Lol. I can't believe I just did that. Sorry about the lack of updates but Christmas was one busy time of the year for me. I had this written by New Year's but haven't posted it up until now. I'm really sorry, and I promise I'll try not to leave it this long again. Please R&R!)_


	7. A Story to Tell

_A Story to Tell_

_(A/N: I've decided to focus most of my long writing attention on this story for a while, though I may write a few chapters now and again for other things. So if I take a break from this for a while…you'll know why. Lol. I've decided to put up this next instalment quickly, as it's a chapter I've wanted to write. I hope you like it!_

_This is focused mainly on Azul. There is no Rocky or Ginger in this chapter, so it is something **very** different for me.)_

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It was a cloudless night that evening, as no one made any moves to depart for bed, they were so into what was going on, that they hadn't even bothered to strain their hearing to eavesdrop on Rocky and Ginger, whose argument had flown in and left them now for their own hut, still being surely cold towards the other.

The sky darkened gradually as Azul's tale grew into its terrific climax, enchanting and sometimes startling the listening chickens. They now looked up to this rooster as a gentle mind with a healing soul, and knew that his clearest descriptions were from the heart. Never had they heard someone spill out their truest feelings so deeply as he did, he sounded as if he had experienced and spoken to real love.

He laughed again now, his voice polite against the wind. "Of course," he was saying, "That is only the brief section of the story. The rest of it is yet to come. That is, unless…" he trailed off, staring around at the others with watchful and concerned eyes. Most of his audience were close to tears already.

"It all depends on whether you want me to proceed," he finished, not wanting to be the bearer of upsetting the rest of the group. He glanced to his right and for the first time noticed that Rocky and Ginger had disappeared.

One hen was sniffling a little. "No, no!" she cried out. "Go on!"

"Yes, please do!" another one insisted, wiping her eyes.

"We'd _orl_ like t' hear the end, ducks," Bunty added, though she wasn't crying like most others it could be said that the story touched her deeply. For this moment, her emotions hung on her face and she looked seriously into it.

Azul shifted a little. "All right, if you say so. But…I'm a little unsure of where to begin, you see." This comment was greeted by many protests.

"Start at the beginning, old chap!" Fowler proclaimed, raising his cane high into the air above his head for all to see. "That's usually the best place to start. I haven't heard a good story for years, why, back in _my_ day - "

At this, there was an instant uproar of noise, much moaning and groaning from the hens at Fowler's words, and just anyone making noise to drown out the sound of his rambling. They certainly didn't want to hear one of his old war stories when they could have some new, fresh romance from Azul. It was something they hadn't heard before and the tale interested them.

"Well," Azul started, watching the eager expressions on the girl's faces, "All right. It began a few months ago, on a darkened day it seemed. I was out for a morning stroll, though I didn't mind the weather…it never seemed to bother me. The clouds were high, the hills rolling. Everything seemed normal, ordinary.

And then I saw _her…"_

**_:--:_**

_The young, black-feathered rooster stopped and stared, his position halting as his eyes landed on the most beautiful creature he had ever seen. She was sitting in the scrabble of the meadow, picking petals off discarded flowers. Azul couldn't take his eyes off her, even though he had only seen her, he felt as if he had been looking all day._

_Her feathers were a gentle golden like the sun, and her posture structured. She carried a feel for the surrounding; she gave off a wonderful sensation. The rooster knew that he must have looked like an idiot, standing there, but it was all he could do. His mouth was open, his eyes were wide. He stood there for another five minutes._

_He was only snapped out of his daze when he heard her voice close to him, and then he realised that she was standing in front. "Like to **stare,** don't you?" she said a little coldly, and frowned a bit. Azul stared down and landed in two chocolate brown eyes. He blinked, listening to the harmony of her voice._

_"Oh…I - " was all he managed to say, before she had already begun to make her way onwards. Azul couldn't move to go after her; he could only watch her leave. And he knew for that moment, that he had fallen for her. He just had to know her name; he spent the rest of the day wondering what it could be._

_Something beautiful…it had to describe her in every way imaginable. He wondered what he would call her, if he knew her as a friend. What he would name her if she were his own daughter. He thought of everything to do with her that night. He had often heard of love at first sight, but had never known it would happen to him._

_He could barely breathe; it had hit him so hard and fast. How could something so amazing enter and leave his life so quickly? What if he were to never see her again? The very thought left him with shivers and a sense of fear. That could never happen, he wouldn't let it happen. He spent the next week searching for her, his mind racing after every unsuccessful day. Where **was** she?_

_The next time he saw her, he could hardly believe his luck. Their paths were ready to cross down a narrow road, and he quickly sped up so that they met in the middle. There was only enough room for one chicken to walk at once. The hen looked him in the eye, and sighed impatiently._

_"P-please…" Azul began, completely lost for words. Now here was his chance and he was blowing it like a fool. He had no idea what to say to her, now she was here, his heart was racing and his throat was dry. He had to say something! Something to impress her, something to make her smile…**anything!** _

_The hen had a glower in her eyes. **"You** again," she said in a quiet voice. "I thought I wouldn't be seeing you after that day in the meadow. I must say I'm rather surprised." Her voice held a strong British accent, clear and precise, and very formal. To Azul it was a melody to the ears; he would have given anything right at that moment for her to speak again._

_Azul could only smile. What a voice she had! He studied the colour of her eyes, hoping to make her laugh so he would be able to hear that too. "I-I'm quite pleased that we met like this," he managed to stammer out. "Now I can ask you for your name…I never did before and I regretted it at once."_

_Scoffing, the hen leant back a little. "You're very quick on the uptake, aren't you?" she said. "Why do you want to know my name?"_

_"Because…" Azul began, stopping himself just in time. He wanted to say; "Because I love you," but all he could get out was; "I would like to know who you are." At her confused look, he went on, hoping that he wasn't scaring her. "You seemed pretty upset the first time I met you. It looks like that you could use a friend around or two, just to cheer you up."_

_Now the hen rolled her eyes, not looking him directly in the eye. "Just the same as any other day," she muttered miserably. "Hardly important. Though I must say I've never been confronted by a unrelenting rooster such as yourself." She tried to move around him to walk by, but the path was still blocked tight._

_She coughed in exasperation. "Would you please move?" _

_"I thought you might need someone to talk to," Azul started. "Someone who will listen to you, and understand you. Someone who will call on you even when you're feeling down in the dumps, and you feel like the whole world is against you. That could make you feel better about yourself, and maybe you won't sound so bitter all the time."_

_He instantly regretted it. The hen's eyes flared up and she scowled again. **"Bitter?** How **dare** you!" she began, but then her expression softened as her mind must have changed. Her voice lowered and she stared at him again, not seeming so angry anymore. "And where would I find someone like this?" she questioned._

_Azul's heart was thumping madly in his ribcage, he wondered if she could see it trying to get out of his chest. He managed a weak smile, and found his voice at last. "Well, um…what about me?" he asked slowly, trying not to sound too desperate for her attention, and all the while staring her in the face, so she would know that he was sincere._

_Now she seemed uncomfortable. "Oh. I, hmm…"_

_Afraid of her refusal, Azul prompted in quickly. "I know you might be thinking that I'm a complete stranger bringing you on like this…and that I must be getting rather tiresome right now, but…if you would only give me a chance, I'd be there by your side for support anytime that you wanted," he blurted out, feeling himself turning crimson for every word that he spoke. At her slight pauses, he felt his heart drop lower. "If you don't want anything to do with me - "_

_"No," the hen interrupted him, halting his words with a swift motion of her wing. "No, it's all right. I can see that you're trying." She looked up at him again, her eyes showing such emotion that Azul thought he might explode on the spot. "You seem to be showing enough effort…I can see that you badly want me to agree to this." A small giggle escaped, but it was still a recognisable giggle._

_She held her wings out in front of her, crossing them. "What's your name?"_

_Azul froze. His name...his **name?** What was it again? He couldn't remember! He started to talk, but found that no words came out. He stared awkwardly at the hen, feeling his legs go numb with embarrassment. She gazed back, seeming impatient. There was a hefty silence between them both; it felt as if it were getting louder with every passing second._

_"Um…" Azul started. This was so humiliating! In the end, he decided to wait until he'd calmed down a little, and until his emotions had settled. Too much excitement sent him into a ludicrous frenzy. "I-I thought I asked you for yours," he quickly recovered, gaining his balance before he could fall flat on his face._

_She sighed now, probably telling herself not to lose control. "You change your mind a lot!" she said rashly, but there was a hint of admiration in the way that she'd said it. "If you really want to know so badly, my name is Strega," she continued, obviously trying not to sound so impressed by it in any way. "Does that make you happy now? Do you think it'll get you talking again?"_

_"Strega…" Azul whispered out, almost feeling himself floating away. He couldn't care how she was looking at him; he knew her name! And what a glorious name it was! He managed a toothy grin, smiled down at her and felt his eyes burning with fascination. He could almost feel them twinkling, like the stars on a black night. "That's beautiful…" he said, under his breath._

_Strega actually looked surprised. She blinked a few times, regaining herself. Then she darted her eyes away, suddenly interested in the ground. "Oh. Well, thank you," she quickly said, not wanting to glance up just yet. "It's Italian. My parents were very fond of the language, it's something after a herb…I think." Here she paused, suddenly looking flushed, "W-what about yours?"_

_This time, the rooster remembered. Maybe it was because of his new discovery, his newfound friend or some new spark from her that startled his own mind. He answered anyway, maybe quicker than he wanted. "Azul."_

_"And what does it mean?" Strega whispered._

_"It's 'blue' in Spanish. My parents said it was for my eyes," Azul replied, unbelievably comfortable now that names had been given out. Suddenly, everything had changed…there wasn't a sense of uneasiness. They weren't strangers anymore._

_There was a quiet pause again, broken by Strega's soft, soothing voice. "Hmm. Azul," she said the name over again on her tongue, thinking it over in her head. Her chocolate brown eyes lit up as she stared at him. "I like it."_

_Then she smiled for the first time. _

_Azul loved her more than ever after that. He couldn't shake her away from his thoughts; she was on his mind every day, every hour; every minute. Even when they spoke to each other, he couldn't stop wanting to see her again whenever he could. They had become quite close friends, though Strega was known to have a wild temper now and again, but Azul never minded. One time, he had plucked up enough courage to tell her how he felt._

_It was barely a month after they had met. They were taking a stroll together, and Azul had suddenly felt a burst of confidence with his last look at her. Even though his pulse was maddening, he had felt braver than ever before. He had to ask tonight…otherwise he would have left it too long._

_"Strega…" he began slowly. "There's something I have to tell you."_

_He had often said this before, so her answer was not surprising to him. She sighed edgily…playfully, and her voice was rich and soft. "Go on, then."_

_"Strega." Azul turned her towards him so that their eyes were meeting. She seemed confused, astonished. Her emotions showed nothing except bewilderment; she couldn't stop looking at him in the way that she was then. Even though it distracted Azul a little, he managed to finish off his sentence. "I've known you only for a month…and it's been the most wonderful month of my life. Thank you so much for sharing it with me."_

_"Um…you're welcome," Strega said, and turned to stand by his side again._

_"No – wait, I'm not finished," Azul cut in quickly, taking her by the wing and pulling her back to the position again, hearing her sigh another time. "That's not all I wanted to say. I feel as if I've known you my whole life. And I don't want to stop feeling that, Strega. I don't want to stop feeling that."_

_Strega glanced at him suspiciously. She probably already had an idea of what he was going to do. "What are you trying to say?" she asked carefully._

_Azul smiled at her. "I don't care how much it changes, or even ruins what we've got now," he said. "I'm dying from the pain, Strega. I have to say it now or I'll never feel good about myself. I just need to say it…I want you to know, I want you to know that for these past weeks or so, staring into your mind-trapping eyes and gazing at your glossy sun-stripped feathers - "_

_"Azul," Strega interrupted, wanting him to get to the point._

_Taking a deep breath, Azul apologised and decided to finish. "What I'm trying to say is that…I love you, Strega. I've always loved you, ever since I saw you that day in the meadow, picking those flowers. I thought my life had ended; stopped to a standstill at seeing you there. Please, oh, please give me an answer. That's all I have left to hold onto now. Without you, I'm nothing."_

_Azul's heart was broken that night. Strega had not taken kindly to his confession, and had denied his love. "I'm not worth it, Azul," she had told him. "You'll have to find someone else, you deserve better than me. Someone who feels the same way."_

_"And…you don't?" Azul asked quietly._

_"I'm sorry."_

_"But what is it? I told you, I'd be there by your side for support anytime that you wanted. I mean to stick to that…to stand by it," Azul muttered desperately, not wanting to let her go so soon. "I don't regret what I said, I mean every word. And I don't intend to take it back."_

_"I'm sorry, Azul," Strega said again. "I just can't. I don't love you."_

_Azul felt shattered. How could this be happening? He loved her so much, he didn't want to let her leave. Gulping and forcing back the urge to shed tears, he found his voice. The pitiful tone it had caused sadness. "But I love **you,"** he gasped. "Please don't do this to me, Strega. Please don't do this."_

_"I'm really sorry," she said again, stepping away, her eyes burning with mixed feelings and her heart somewhere different. "Find someone else."_

**_:--:_**

Azul took in a deep breath as he finished the most painful part of his tale. Thinking about Strega again made his heart ache all over. "After that," he told the other chickens, "I couldn't bear to see her for the hurting. I fixed up a raft, and came here like I told you. I never looked back, and I don't mean to." Stopping at last, he looked around at his audience, and gasped.

"Oh, I'm _sorry!"_ he apologised immediately. Everyone was in tears. Azul couldn't believe how much he had described in detail, he could practically remember every word. He fumbled for his voice, his eyes already beginning to mist up from the memories. "I-I'm really…"

"Oh, goodness…poor you!" one hen erupted, sobbing so hard that it was strange to hear her speak. "It must have been so _hard!"_

The hen Agnes was finding it hard to control herself. "You must stay for a while," she said, "To get over this…we can't face turning you away now with this on your shoulders. We'll talk with Ginger and ask for you." At this, there were exclamations of agreement.

_"Yes! Yes! Stay! Stay!"_

Azul couldn't believe how everyone felt about this. Though it felt good to let go of what had happened and tell everyone else his story, something inside of him felt empty still…hollow and alone. Though he couldn't bear to share his feelings anymore in case of another teary night.

He smiled, hoping it would calm everyone down. "Um…we'll see," he finally said, looking around at all of the miserable faces and wet smiles, and wondering how he was ever going to forgive himself. "We'll see."

**_To be continued_**

**_:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:_**

_(A/N: Wow, this chapter was fast. I was done with it in one afternoon. You see, I can update in less than a month! Lol. I've wanted to write this chapter from the beginning of the story anyway, and I'm glad that it's done. Please R&R!)_


	8. Something Strange

_Something Strange_

_(A/N: Gah! I promised that I wouldn't leave it very long and I did! I'm so sorry, but I had huge author's block over the weeks and this chapter has been **murder **to write. It's probably the hardest one so far, so if it sucks, forgive me, lol. I had so many people thanking me on the last chapter! Thanks so much!)_

**_:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:_**

_Maybe **I** should apologise first._

That was the first thought that Ginger awoke to the next morning, as the sun rose over the island holding a new day in his wake. Since the meeting involving Azul had ended sometime when the moon was full last night, and without Ginger's permission to departure everyone had just scattered and left for their own beds, knowing that the argument between her and Rocky still remained the same.

Stubborn as always, both had refused to speak to each other. Ginger knew that they were acting like children, but she just couldn't bring herself to break first. _Rocky _had been the one who had started it; he was the one who had been so _rowdy! _All that Ginger had ever wanted was for Azul to have a chance.

_Which reminded her…_

Ginger stood up and stepped to the window, looking out at the island before her. It was all so empty now; due to the late night many had preferred to stay in bed. It had been rude of both of them, leaving without saying so and letting Azul handle the crowd on his own. She had been told the story of his life earlier that morning, by one excited hen who wanted to know if she'd seen him around.

_I never knew. _was the thought inside her head. Azul had lost so much. She just hoped that he would feel welcome here. She had to admit, not even herself had made her most promising effort. She had been trying to deal with Rocky.

In surprise, Ginger found tears threatening. She forced them back, trying to think. She _hated _it when she fought with him; their arguments never got them anywhere. It was times like this when she knew that she loved him so much, it _hurt _her to not be speaking with him. She had been thinking of children again, and wondered how much it would damage her to make things up with him.

Sighing, she tore her eyes from the sight outside and made a move to turn. But before she could even take a step, she felt a comforting pressure on her shoulders, halting her still. With a gasp, she spun her head and stared in shock.

_Rocky. _He was standing there with his wings on her own, offering her a soft smile. His brown eyes showed a sense of confession, and his face lit up in warmth. "Hey," he said quietly; even his voice sounding soothing. "Morning."

Ginger didn't know what to say. She gulped, "Listen, Rocky…I - "

"No, let me, Ginge," he answered back. His words full of meaning, he grinned down at her with a friendly tone. "I'm sorry."

Ginger almost gasped out loud. _He was apologising? _But…when did Rocky normally offer an apology before anyone else unless he was talked into it? It was a shock to Ginger, but a pleasant shock. She found a slow smile creeping across her face. "You're…sorry?"

"Yeah," he said again, his eyes scrunching up a little. "I didn't mean to act so dumb. I was being stupid – c'mon, we both knew that. I did some thinking last night too, and I saw how annoying I was being, going on like that. I guess I didn't really warm up to that Azul guy much, either."

Trying not to laugh, Ginger held back her comments. "Well, he _was _worried that you wanted to remain a stranger with him for the rest of his life," she smiled. "Especially after everything that's happened to him, he needs some people to talk to." Here she paused, uncertain if Rocky knew what she was talking about.

"You…_do _know what's happened to him, don't you?"

"Yeah, I know," Rocky sighed. "That kinda makes me feel worse. I heard that chick telling ya at the door this morning. I felt so guilty I thought I was gonna pop. You were right, Ginge. I was being a jealous fool, I was just worried that…well, that ya preferred 'blue-eyes' over me, that's all."

_Blue-eyes? _

Ginger almost gasped again. He thought that…that she was beginning to get feelings for Azul! It had never occurred to her how much attention she had been giving him since he had arrived; no _wonder _Rocky was reading all of the wrong signs!

"You think…you _thought _that…I…" She was so much of a fluster that she could barely breathe. Poor Rocky, she had never even given that a thought. Trying not to let out a relieved giggle, she stared back up at him. "Oh, Rocky!"

"What?"

"I never thought no such thing!" she laughed now, her laughter harmonious. "I was just being _friendly! _You should have told me, I thought that you were afraid that he was going to soak up all of the attention, or something."

Rocky couldn't believe it. All the time that Azul had been here, Ginger had gotten so interested in him, and she hadn't an ounce of what he had expected her to have. Friends was fine…he had only worried that it was developing into something more. At least it wasn't, now maybe he could relax a little more.

He grinned back at her. "So, you don't love the guy?"

_"No!" _Ginger protested, sounding elated. "Of course not. There's only one space for a special rooster in my life, and he's not going to budge, I'm certain. And his handsome brown eyes work wonders for me, anyway." She smiled at him again.

Rocky smirked cheekily. "Handsome?"

"Oh, I'm sorry too," Ginger said defeated. "I _was_ being rather direct. I should have let you explain a little better; I was getting into my own conclusions and not letting yours in. I hope you accept my sincerity as much as I've accepted yours."

There was a brief silence, which was broken only by a rich and deep laugh, belonging to Rocky. It was smooth, and filled the awkwardness with comfort. "Geez, Ginge, in America we just _say _the word!" he chuckled, but then added with a lighter tone to his voice, "But, I could get used to your way."

For the first time since that night on the hill, Rocky and Ginger shared one of their true kisses. It was filled with as much strength as they held between them, as they embraced their fears away. Ginger couldn't contain how much better it made her feel, knowing that Rocky's doubts were free and ready to travel now.

_Rocky, there's something we need to talk about… _

In her hug, rather frighteningly, her own confidence startled her. She had only just realised what she had been trying to say in her head. Every time, she just wanted to bring up the subject on children but something had always stopped her. Now, she wanted to say it more than ever but there was still too much going on. She snuggled deeper into Rocky's chest and fought the thoughts away.

_Later, _she reminded herself. _Not long now, but soon._

"You need to talk to him," she told Rocky a few moments later. "Alone, both of you. You need to see that you can both be friends." She waited a while, letting Rocky's thoughts handle themselves. _"Will_ you?" she quietly asked.

After a few uncomfortable seconds of pause, she heard his mellow voice speak. "I, um…I suppose so. Yeah, O.K." He sounded a lot confident than if she had asked him days ago. It made her feel better hearing it like that.

"I'll find him for you, then," she told him straight. "Today. I'll tell him that you've agreed to talk to him and get all of this tension removed between you. It might make things easier, and he'll know that others aren't against him for intruding."

She felt a light kiss on her head, just above her eyes, followed by the sweet, soft sound of Rocky's smile in his tone. "That would be great."

**_:--:_**

Azul wiped perspiration off his forehead as the hot morning sun beat down. Though he was thankful to warm weather, there was a gentle frozen breeze of the dew, which heightened his spirits and made him feel cooler during his hard work. He was still fixing up his raft, and making rather a good job of it. He always had been a handyman, dare he say the right word.

It wouldn't take him very long to fix it now, just a while longer. Azul wondered where he would go once it was built to proper again. _Off to somewhere new?_

His heart pounded at the thought of returning back home. He really didn't want to. If Strega found him again, she would only bring more hard times, and he just wanted to get away from everything. It would cause the pain to become fresh. He really liked it here…everyone had welcomed him, well, _almost _everyone, and he had made so many new friends.

Everyone here was so nice. Especially Ginger.

"Azul!"

Quite startled, he straightened up and spun around, his sight landing on Ginger, making her way towards him. He hurriedly put away his rafting gear and turned to face her, hopefully a decent smile on his face. He brushed a little sweat from his eyes.

"Morning, Miss Ginger!" he greeted back, his voice high and ringing once again. He sounded so much cheerful, maybe it had felt good for him to spill his feelings in front of everyone. He forced back a laugh at her surprised expression.

"Gosh, what have you been doing?" she questioned.

Azul brushed down a few feathers as he thumbed the attention towards his raft. "Just fixing her up," he said briskly. "Thought I should get started on it, I've left the task undone for a while."

Ginger looked around him to see how it was coming along. It was a little beaten down, but she could see that he was making progress with it. She felt happy that he was back to doing what he loved most, and she turned back to him with a brightness in her smile.

"You're doing a very good job," she commented politely.

"Why, thank you," Azul laughed back. "Sometimes I don't know half of what to say to you, Miss Ginger…you're always ready to hand out compliments." His heart grinned to itself inside of him as he saw a blush of modesty spread over her face. Somehow he loved making her do that, it made him smile.

Laughing, Ginger faced him properly. "You can just call me Ginger, if you want," she said quietly. "All of this 'Miss' makes me sound like I'm someone special!" She didn't really feel like someone to earn such respect. Besides, he never called anyone else with another name in front. She often wondered why.

Azul could only chuckle. "Very well, _Ginger." _He pulled a somewhat strange face at this, trying to hide his embarrassment. "I'm going to have to get used to that."

"Oh, I suppose you will," she replied back, hopefully. Thinking back to where she had ventured from to approach him, she brought up the subject that she had wanted to say since that first morning he had arrived. "Um…" she mumbled.

Frowning, Azul spoke up. "Ginger? You look troubled. Is something wrong?"

"No, no…not _troubled," _Ginger cut in, wanting to correct the error quickly. "I just wanted to know if you…" She really didn't like to bring it up, often she wondered if she were meddling in their affairs and should let them sort it out for themselves. But they _were_ ready to agree…well, _Rocky _was anyway.

"If you had any hard feelings on the matter of Rocky's attitude lately. He's been giving you quite the cold shoulder," she finished, hoping that she wasn't sounding too quick and precise. She really didn't like to talk about others like this, but Azul had to know, and Rocky wasn't even around to hear anyway. It should be all right.

Azul's face lowered at this, and he seemed to be thinking quite hard about something, Ginger couldn't tell what. She was surprised at his voice, she was waiting for it to sound as harsh as it had before the meeting, but instead, it was warm and quiet. "I was wondering that myself, too," he told her. "I haven't really been friendly, have I?"

"Oh, well…" This wasn't going as she had hoped.

"I really want to make things up between us," Azul prompted in. "But I'm not sure if he'll want to talk. I keep getting this feeling like he has something against me. It's the sort of feeling which makes you feel like an outsider; a stranger." He grinned at Ginger, taking in the comforting feel of her smile.

Ginger could hardly thank someone for anything more. It had been _so _much easier to think the question than actually _say _it. Thank goodness Azul wanted to be friends with Rocky too, now maybe this whole episode would be cleared up for good.

"That's brilliant!" Ginger exclaimed. "He wanted to patch things up with you, too!"

"Really?" Azul sounded a little unsure.

"Yes, we were just talking about it, actually. He said that he'd been feeling somewhat jealous lately, and he wanted to start again, turn over a new leaf. He's always happy to make new friends, I just think that you got off on the wrong foot." Ginger was even happier to see that Azul was nodding in agreement.

Azul's voice sounded friendlier already, and his eyes shone out with appreciation. "Anytime he's willing to talk, I'll be ready to start again," he said to her with his eyes fixed on her own. "Thank you for stopping by, Ginger."

The conversation had gone rather smoothly, for Ginger's opinion, and all in all it pleased her to know that there would be no disagreements towards anyone else on the island. That was what she had wanted from the start, as long as Rocky and Azul were ready to break their shells and come out as friends, it suited her fine.

Azul went back to his raft, feeling better already. He really didn't want to be hated on the sanctuary by anybody; it was a feeling that he wasn't prepared for. At least he had Ginger to thank for talking Rocky into his senses, maybe things would be a little easier now.

_Besides…_he thought as he wound some more rope around the wood joints, _Green eyes are a bit of a refreshing change from chocolate brown…_

**_To be continued_**

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_(A/N: Uh-oh. What have I done? I hated writing this chapter, and I say sorry again if it's not as good as you all wanted it to be! I promise that in future there will be better ones. I hope this pleases some anyway! Please R&R!)_


	9. Cockfighting

_Cockfighting_

_(A/N: A new chapter at last! I'm so sorry about my updating, but I've been struggling along with other things during last week and I've gotten so far behind. Plus, it's my birthday next week and all of my friends are creeping around me…I know they're up to something, but they won't tell me, lol. Thank you to those who reviewed chapter 8!)_

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A pair of brown eyes squinted up at the midday sun, his dark feathers shielding his sight. The rays hung down warm on his body, a pleasant breeze cooling his senses. The day had been one of the warmest that the island had ever known about. Not even Fowler could recall a day that the heat had betrayed them to its extent.

Rocky frowned up at the sky. Usually he craved for the Summer mornings, but this one was a push-and-shove. He growled a little under his breath as he swiped sweat from his brow. "Stupid heat."

Often the temperature was so intense the hens had to retire to their bunks; especially those that burned easily (the idea of roast chicken frightened some), and had departed to the safe and cooling shade of their huts. Babs claimed she grew faint, due to sunstroke, which after minutes of seeing her toddling about worse than usual, insists were immediately made.

Everything seemed to be getting towards a level today for Rocky. Not only did he have to put up with the sun, he had also had a request from Ginger, that Azul was ready to talk things through with him after all. Of course, Rocky was prepared for such a meeting, but it _was_ the first step. He didn't seem so bad…maybe they could get along pretty easily.

_"This is a great opportunity for the both of you to be friends! I knew you would come through, maybe after this there won't be so much avoidance!"_

Ginger's words were _still _left ringing in his ears. She wanted so much for the both of them to get along – Ginger liked it if _everyone _got along. Ever since the darkness of Tweedy's farm, she had wanted everyone to start a new, with no arguments and no grudges…just for everyone to be friends and live a content, peaceful life.

With guilt, Rocky knew that he hadn't lived up to her hopes and standards as much as he would have liked to. He had begun a whole new string of arguments since Azul had appeared, and he had been offering a shunning proposition whenever he came within contact. He really hadn't been supportive at all. He felt as if he were letting Ginger down, which is why he felt the need to apologise.

"I guess I _did _go a bit overboard," he said aloud, not caring who heard.

Now he was waiting for Azul to meet him, Ginger had informed that he would be on his way soon. Though he didn't feel nervous, he still felt uncomfortable. There had been such distances between them lately…_what was he to say?_

He rubbed the back of his neck to hide the heat away, and kicked a little at the ground, his feet brushing the tips of the grass. Smiling down at the colour, he thought back to Ginger, remembering the first time he had looked _properly _into her eyes. So green…as green as the grass he stood on now. She had carried it along with her the whole time, even though she had wanted it for a lifetime.

_Even though she had already found it… _

A faint shadow blocked out the sunlight, softening the strictness of the warmth. He glanced up, and noticed no other than Azul making his way over to him, a sort of uneasy feel in his step. Rocky could tell that he wasn't as confident as Ginger had made out to be.

Promising himself to be friendly, Rocky pulled a suitable smile and managed a small wave. "Hey," he called out, watching Azul as he caught his attention.

"Hello," Azul countered back, but it was so quiet under his breath that Rocky wasn't even sure if he had meant to say it. The notion that he wasn't at all pleased about talking made Rocky gain the uncomfortable feeling once again. What were they possibly going to talk about if neither felt friends to do so?

Trying to seem convinced than he felt, Rocky stepped over to Azul and immediately made the first effort to speak. By the look in the other rooster's eyes, he clearly didn't feel good starting a conversation going. He appeared fidgety, and insecure, and his glances didn't always meet Rocky's own.

"So…er," Rocky began slowly, taking the time to spend as long as he could, so that he didn't end up shutting Azul out so quickly than he intended. "Did – did Ginger tell ya about…y'know, about the – the talk?"

"Oh…yes – yes, she did."

"Great. Me too."

There was another long pause. It was down obvious that this was the hardest conversation that Rocky had ever taken part in. Usually he was so alive and open with himself when meeting new people, but since that Azul was so quiet and preserved, he was finding it a bit difficult.

Clearing his throat, he decided to try again. "How's about the weather, huh?"

"W-what?" Azul sleepily asked, not understanding at first.

"The…y'know, the weather. Kinda hot, wouldn't ya say?" Rocky knew that he was playing the biggest card on the nervous deck. Whenever anyone felt uncomfortable, they always brought up the weather in their talk. He hoped that Azul didn't know this too, as he was beginning to stare at him strangely.

Instead, he nodded slowly. "Oh, yes. Quite one of the hottest days I've seen," he told him, starting to look a little lost and bored. It was clear that he wasn't enjoying himself. The expression sort of angered Rocky a bit; he was trying his best to be friends and he wasn't getting any reception.

He fought his head with everything he could remember about introducing yourself mannerly, hoping that Azul couldn't see him struggling with his thoughts. He thought back to one time, when he could still hear Ginger telling him over and over again, so clear that he could recite it himself:

_"The problem with most people is that they're so preoccupied with how they are, they don't know how to make a proper introduction. It annoys me when they act so interested in themselves than others, I just wish they would ask more questions now and again."_

Maybe he should try that. Ginger's words normally made enough sense.

Straightening up now that he had a new idea, he spoke in what he wished sounded polite. "So…Azul, is it? I heard ya at the meeting the other night, talking to the other guys. Um…ya said something about building, fixing. Is…is it any good?"

Oh, how Rocky wished he could laugh at this point! Azul was staring at him in such amazement, he didn't know what to say. Obviously, he was not expecting this other rooster to put more than two sentences next to each other, and make a suitable subject to talk about. Blinking at last, he found his voice somewhere.

"I – I, well…I rather enjoy it," he said, a life suddenly coming into his voice as he spoke about what he loved to do. "I never seem to tire of it, actually. I used to spend most of my time trying to see what would work, and what wouldn't. I became quite the handyman," here he paused; somewhat delighted that he had managed to carry on the talk with his own speech. "What about you?"

"Nah, I'm not really cut out for all of that stuff," Rocky admitted. "I sort a few things out now and again but I'm not good. I bet ya know what ya doing when it comes down to it, right?"

Azul actually smiled back. "Sometimes."

They shared a laugh. Neither knew where it came from, what they had said hadn't been particularly funny to hear, but it just seemed to lighten the mood a little more. Now that they had begun to open up about their hobbies, the tension was starting to cease.

_Well, whaddya know? Ginger's advice works after all._

Here again, Rocky raised his wing over his eyes once more and shielded them from the blinding light. He released an exhale of breath, sounding exhausted. "Phew! Hey, this sun is _murder, _I'm dying in this heat," he told Azul, feeling another bead of perspiration trickle down his forehead. "What d'you say we talk in the shade?"

Azul nodded in agreement as he brushed at his own brow. "Sounds good to me."

**_:--:_**

It all fell into place after that. Conversation between Rocky and Azul flowed together, literally like words on a page and water in a brook. They sat amongst the shade of a dampened old willow tree, fresh and moist despite the sun, and chatted like they had known one another for years.

They spoke together, Rocky mentioning the 'guy talk' every now and again. He had never quite realised how much he had missed that. Fowler often didn't apply to good company when it came to talking much about the younger generation, and Azul offered a better aspect on things.

They laughed, told jokes and shared some moments from the past. Azul opened up again to Rocky about Strega, and how it all went wrong for him. Neither one couldn't understand what had been keeping them back from connecting like this. It was almost as if they were _meant _to be friends.

Neither could remember why they had been avoiding one another so much.

"Y'know," Rocky spoke up in between breaths, "I'm kinda glad that Ginge decided for us to have this talk. She really knows what to do."

"Yes," Azul sighed a little, hoping to stop his chest from aching. "She's great."

There was a moment's silence as they stopped to think. A calming breeze entered the shade and refreshed the scorching air. The sound of shrill birds rang out in the clouds, and it was so peaceful just to sit there and want nothing at all, that both roosters were quiet, something that they hadn't been in a long time.

Azul was the first to break that. _"Ginge…" _he repeated, murmuring. "Is that a nickname, or something like that?"

"Hm? Oh, yeah. Something that's kinda stuck on her, I think. She's pretty used to it," Rocky replied, thinking back to her again. Where would he be right now, without her to usher him along? Not sitting under a cooling willow with friends and a steady relationship, _that's _for sure.

He lowered his eyes into a slight frown, turning properly back to meet Azul's own. "Did, er…did _you _ever have any names like that? F-for _your _chick?"

He was expecting silence, a moment of rare uneasiness at the mention of her, as if he weren't ready to spring back into topic again. But although Rocky could clearly see the detachment and pain in his face, he found his voice anyway.

"No, not really," he said. "I suppose I didn't know her long enough for that."

"Oh." Rocky had landed them in a pickle. He knew that he shouldn't have asked that question, but he was just being curious. Azul had hardly ever mentioned anything deep enough about Strega; he had only wanted to investigate the matter, that's all.

There was another pause, not so uncomfortable as expected but still rather stretching. Azul lowered his blue eyes to the floor, smiled to himself and ran his dark wing over the soft grass. He pried a tiny stalk from the ground and ran it through his feathers, not satisfying in the touch but just mainly in the colour of life.

Rocky watched him, in surprise. He seemed so quiet all the time…almost as if he had his own world that he visited and let nobody come along. The looks in his face that he was thinking were sometimes so unpredictable; you couldn't tell what he was saying to himself.

Azul sighed. "Rocky," he asked slowly, "What is the future?"

"Huh?" the rooster slipped out, a little stupidly. He frowned; feeling confused, and watched the face next to him. Why had he suddenly gone into matters concerning the future? If it was one thing, Rocky usually hated talking about it. He liked to wait for what would come, and plan later. It made him feel strange talking about events that hadn't even happened yet.

"The future," Azul repeated, still thoughtful. "What is it?"

"Um…" Rocky halted. What was _he _supposed to say? "I guess, that…we can never really know, can we? I mean…it's out there, and we can't see it. Ya have to wait, I suppose. No good planning your chicks before they hatch, huh?"

_Chicks? Hatch? _Rocky wondered exactly what he was leading to.

"You mean…family?" Azul whispered out dryly. There was another silence.

Rocky practically stopped breathing. _Family? _The word sometimes frightened him, when he put his mind to the basics. What _was _really waiting for him down that open road, except a new life? The future? He could only imagine. He thought about the other girls. All of the children they had, and Ginger left without a single one. He remembered back to how twitchy she had been lately.

_Was it what she wanted? Was it what she had **always **wanted?_

He gulped, remembering that he hadn't answered Azul's question. Shifting to a new position on the grass, he cleared his throat for time. "I…I…" He could feel Azul's piercing eyes watching him, oblivious to the fact that hundreds of thoughts were trampling Rocky's mind. _Children? Ginger? **Us?**_

"I…er, dunno," he finally said, darting his gaze away from the stares.

So after that, they settled and fell back into their usual conversation, the future still left open and gaping to them, and still them with their own unanswered questions. Or maybe they already had been asked, but there were no responses to them? Neither rooster could tell the difference at all.

Rocky's expression now sat in thought, his dark eyes searching the skies and his sight tracing the cloud patterns of the day. He couldn't concentrate, at least not for a while, yet. Those thoughts, however…still crossed his mind and galloped through his head for that hour still, and maybe longer.

**_To be continued_**

**_:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:_**

_(A/N: I'm sorry if I kept this chapter away from you for so long, but as you can see by my timing that it wasn't as difficult to write as the last one, so its done pretty early! I hope you like it, please tell me what you think! Please R&R!)_


	10. Lingering Longer

_Lingering Longer_

_(A/N: Another late update! I'm really sorry, but this chapter was another one of those that I didn't particularly enjoy writing, probably because it introduced Nick and Fetcher and I don't think I can write them all that well. Anyway, thank you for being patient and here's chapter 10!)_

**_:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:_**

The news that Rocky had brought for Ginger that following afternoon had sent an instant smile to his face. She had been so overjoyed that he and Azul had broken the ice, and had decided to make amends between the both of them. When Rocky had explained in large detail about what they discussed (minus the 'family' talk of course), she could barely believe how quickly they had bonded.

She knew it had been a bright idea of hers for them to talk, now she felt as if there were no secrets kept anymore. She had hugged Rocky in delight, and as he returned it gratefully, something deep within his stomach kept prodding him over and over again that if he had let slip of something else, something involving other than inventing, or beholding the future…something to do with youngsters, and _hatching…_

He had turned his head away from such thoughts at the moment. What would Ginger think of him now, if he had suddenly brought up this subject? Maybe she would be surprised, certainly…especially if she weren't ready. What if she liked Rocky to be the way that he was now? Without dedication to a family life, and to be single and open to her, and only her?

It frightened him a little, knowing that this next stretch in the emptiness had seemed to jump up and hit him in the face so quickly, he had hardly any time to react. The word 'children' appeared as such a huge step to the next stage, and he wondered what his _own _response would be.

_Crying at all hours, up all night…new words, new steps, a boy, girl…a **name?**_

And the sweetest possession anyone could ever own.

Rocky had always been good with kids, his mother had said so herself. The idea of at least having one brought a new sensation into the pit of his stomach. Was it sickness, or something else? For the time being, he agreed to ponder, and pay attention to other things until the meaning had settled in.

Two days had passed, and during the early hours of the morning (less warmer as the chickens noticed, gratifyingly a relief), Ginger was late to rise, rather unusual as she was normally one of the first to be up and about. Rocky had made the infinitive decision to leave her as she was. A lot had happened and he supposed she needed rest.

He had given her a tiny kiss on the cheek before leaving their hut, and stepping out into the open. A slight fog was around, wet and cold on the breath, due to the chills of the previous night. Many of the hens were out enjoying it, especially those who had suffered terribly from the heat in the earlier week. Rocky strode through the mingled grass and let his feet take him away, all he needed was a walk to clear his head.

Azul could be seen already, working away in his own little corner at the raft, his back to the others and his busily constructing a minor noise on the sanctuary. Rocky offered a small smile towards him, even though he couldn't see it. He now knew about this newcomer, and his painful past, and couldn't help feeling terrible for all of the fuss he made. Of _course _Ginger didn't have feelings for him, it had all been a mistake, she didn't change her mind so suddenly as that.

"Whoa - " Rocky's breath caught in his throat as he felt a little _bump _against his leg, a tiny squeal and then the sound of rushing grass as someone fell over (softly, mind). A chuckle came from him as he looked down to see one of Babs' children, her little son Archie, kicking his tiny legs in the air and wailing in surprise.

"Hey, kiddo!" said Rocky, lifting up the chick with little force and setting him down on the ground. "Y'know ya have to watch where you're going, before ya bowl someone over. There could've been sores approaching!"

Little Archie was only a few months old, Babs' youngest child out of her three. Her other two little girls, Beth and Susie, were almost one year. They all had her clueless blue eyes, and her sweet nature, though Archie was the only one to suffer from her terrible memory problems. He liked nothing better than to spend his time spinning in circles, wondering if it would get him anywhere.

It obviously didn't.

Archie squeaked as Rocky helped him up.

"Where's those sisters of yours, buddy?" Rocky asked kindly. "I guess they ran off and left ya, huh? Whaddya up to, being so far away from ya mom? C'mon," The rooster picked up the lad in his wings and lifted him over his shoulder, all the while him chirruping away as if lost in some game.

Rocky's brown eyes softened at the sounds, and he bit down on his beak as he spotted Babs in the distance, knitting away as she normally spent her time. He could barely make out the future invention of a baby blue woollen hat, for her son it seemed. He swallowed a little and lifted Archie higher on his shoulder.

"Hey, I think we've got a mother in sight!" he said.

**_:--:_**

The rest of that day, Rocky left Ginger to herself. He thought that she was beginning to look overworked with all of the oncoming arrangements, and he thought it best to stay out of her way a little. With her temper, and with all of the stress, he did what he could to be of a coward and flee (of course as a joke, taken).

Instead, he spent the rest of his time prowling about the island, not intending on being bored but not finding anything else to do, he flooded his mind with unanswered questions and dwelled on other matters.

Now he sat below the old willow tree again, deep and relaxed in the shade where he had spent most of his earlier hours talking with Azul. He rested his head against the thick trunk and let his head swim, all of his memories of Ginger's worry coming into mind, and he himself trying to place her motives into what he was suspecting. Did she really want children? That night on the hills, she had been so thoughtful…

But was he ready to become a father? He wasn't sure, and he was uncertain if it suited him or not. Rocky Rhodes? The Lone Free Ranger, a _dad? _Maybe to many youngsters if it turned out right, but right now…thinking about it like this, all alone, he felt sick.

"What's a guy to do?" he groaned.

"Hey up, what's all this then?" came a sly, crafty voice from below, and Rocky turned his attention away from the sky and towards the ground, where the two rats, Nick and Fetcher stood. The chief swindlers of the farm, they had followed the chickens around at no cost, wanting their eggs (dear to the hens at that time) for agreements to help them in their escapades.

Now, being away from all of that, they had relaxed into the sociality and ecstasy of the island, and had exchanged their usual business suits to more attention-grabbing holiday shirts and shorts. Their Hawaiian colours today didn't seem to cheer Rocky up at all; he just sighed under his breath and frowned a little.

"What do _you _want?"

"We're here to help you out, gov," Nick said with a smile.

Rocky pulled a face in what he hoped was a sneer. "Not to be rude, guys," he said. "But I don't think I need any help right now…or _want _it for that matter. You're probably just wasting ya time." He placed his head into his cupped wings.

This didn't stop the rats, however. They scuttled in close, ignoring the shuns.

Nick grinned slyly as he said, "Noticing that over a while, your strategic _face _has fallen into place with the dirt – where it tends to belong in my own honest opinion – anyhow," He waved his hands about. "We were just wondering - "

"What was up!" Fetcher finished gleefully for him.

Rocky scoffed. "Like you guys would wanna know."

"C'mon, mate!" Nick chuckled. "I can tell something's up, or you wouldn't want to keep it a secret so much, now would you? What is it? Nothing wrong with the little missus perhaps?"

"Not been bothering, has she?" Fetcher enquired.

"No!" Rocky blurted before he even had chance to consider it, and realised that he hadn't meant to say anything at all. "No…t-that's not it…" But his own hesitation frightened him in a way. _Was _it any of their business in the first place? And how did they always seem to know that something wasn't right? It was creepy.

The two rats exchanged unsatisfied glances. "Um-hm. Course."

Rocky rolled his eyes and turned away from them, his eyes lost in a deep frown. What was it to them why he was so down in the dumps? It wasn't like their minds would _ever _cross what he was thinking of right now. It was more a state of family matters, one left to think alone and…besides, he had never been the best of friends with the rats, not after the whole situation with the eggs. He didn't know why they were coming over anyway, except to cause trouble and be an annoyance.

"Shut up," he snapped. "Go away."

"Well, that's gratitude for you, eh, Fetcher?" Nick pretended to be insulted as he mocked Rocky's remark. "Can't even help a fella out anymore, what's this world coming to, I wonder?"

"Terrible," Fetcher finished echoingly. "Got no manners, he hasn't."

"Precisely my point," said Nick, turning point. "Come along, Fetcher, if he don't want to talk to us, I don't see why we're wasting our energy standing over here like ninnies. Let's go and leave him to disintegrate."

"That means _crumble," _added Fetcher.

They walked off, away from Rocky and headed for the centre of the island. Of course, the rooster didn't spend all of his time _crumbling, _he spent it to think. And maybe they had been right…he shouldn't have really told them to go. They knew what he had been pondering on, but _how? _Had he been that obvious towards it? Had he spoken aloud without even realising?

They were the only ones he could share with. But that all depended on one thing…could he trust them? What's to say that they would share the secret themselves, going off and spreading it far and wide for everyone to hear? And what if Ginger got hold of it? Rocky couldn't even bear to think.

So why did he do it?

"Hey, guys! Come back!" he called in exasperation, his mind lost to his own troubles.

To his surprise, and to his fullest extent of anger, he spotted them barely just poking their heads out from behind the nearest tree, chortling and sniggering to themselves. "You _bellowed?" _Nick joked.

Rocky found his frown returning. So they hadn't gone after all! They somehow, again knew that he was going to call them back, so they had waited for him on purpose. How did they always guess what he was going to do? For a moment, all the thoughts were telling him to just get up and leave them to their joke. But he needed someone to talk to. He just hoped they wouldn't say anything.

"OK," he began. "I'm not even gonna _begin _to say how spooky that is, for a start. And…I guess you've kinda gotta point. I have problems, all right – I'm full of 'em, and at the moment, I'm stocked to the top."

That was true. He couldn't even remember the last time that he had felt so confused as this, and it was all to do with a change of events. Why did everything have to differ from what it had been? It had been fine.

"Allow us," Nick butted in, both of them stepping out from behind the tree now. They stood up tall, looking important, and straightened out the creases in their shirts. "Ever since that new bloke's dropped in for a surprise visit, it's got you wired, hasn't it mate?"

"And you thought he was playing in on your girl," Fetcher grinned.

"Somehow – and I know this is right, he's told you a cockamamie story of what's being happening to himself, hoping for self pity and all of that."

"And you were feeling jealous. So what he does, you see…he plays the friendship card, and you fall right smack into his trap, like, er…like a mackerel!"

"So now…your feelings are twaddle, aren't they? Are we right? Tell us we're right."

Rocky couldn't believe how accurate they had been. In amazement, all he could manage was a numb nod and a humble grin. Deep down, his feelings indeed were mixed up, as he was unsure about everything. He wasn't sure if he really liked the idea of everyone knowing what he was thinking, he didn't want to come off at the thought of being read so easily.

But then…the rats hadn't guessed the biggest part of his mind, which had been troubling him. They couldn't possibly know the true wanting that he held, to finally come to the realisation that children might not be so bad. And he was still trying to find the strength and courage of telling this to Ginger himself.

Could he do that? So soon? How long would it take him…in the end?

He showed up his expression as a sign of relief, pretending to look horrifyingly sick at the thought that they knew what had been happening, and drew back a thankful smile as he stared down at their swaggering, cheesy expressions.

"Yeah…guys," he agreed stiffly. "You're right."

As Nick and Fetcher obtained adequate glances, and prouder than proud exclamations, Rocky secretly stared up at the sky, and was lost in the peaceful bliss of the clouds as he breathed out a long, breathless sigh.

Everything would fall in place soon. It just needed the time to get there.

And on the wind in the distance, the faint, cheerful but chirpy sound of Archie's laugh floated to Rocky's hearing, and it somewhat seemed to encourage him, sending a new found feeling into his heart that he had liked, but had never encountered before in his life.

**_To be continued_**

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_(A/N: Ugh, this chapter was terrible. It took me ages to write and get it down, I think it must be the hardest one to write so far. Anyway, it might not be the best update, but the story is gradually reaching its end, and I should get there someday. For now, please R&R! Rocky will have cookies if you do! Rocky runs from the sugar )_


	11. A Simple Mind

_A Simple Mind_

_(A/N: I'm sorry I've left this story for so long, I've had a lot to catch up with in my other stories, as you may have noticed. I haven't forgotten this though!)_

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The advice from Nick and Fetcher kept Rocky on his toes all of that afternoon, and most of the following day too. He could simply not believe how easy it was to read him – were others on the island getting the same signals as those rats? _What if Ginger had noticed? _he thought to himself with a grimace.

There was no doubt that he was feeling uncomfortable. Because of the strange entries that were blocking his memory, he tried to avoid Ginger for some time, afraid that she may be onto his secret and his feelings. The last thing he wanted was to discuss this sort of thing, especially when this whole situation with Azul was beginning to spiral now in a new direction.

Speaking of Azul, he had noticed Rocky's strange behaviour too, only the signals _he _read were different than the ones Rocky had considered.

Noticing that Rocky was keeping away from Ginger, Azul thought back to the night of their argument, when he was just settling down to tell the tale of his lost love. He had noticed their disappearance, and thought back to what they said.

**_:--:_**

Azul listened as he spoke, his hearing picking up Ginger's voice. She sounded rather exasperated, and he strained to gain a part in each conversation.

_"He wanted to explain tonight," she said. "And besides, why is it bothering you so much? You found your answer, didn't you? You wanted to know what his name meant so I arranged to tell you."_

_Azul knew that they had been talking about him, and he knew that he had somehow started the whole argument in the first place, by telling Rocky what he wanted to know. He hadn't meant to come off as cold, but from the beginning he **had **been rather jealous of the rooster. He was handsome, and amusing, and didn't linger on unrequited love as he did. _

_And he had Ginger..._

_He had heard Rocky's voice then. "It's just really shown me up, that's all."_

_"Oh, well, I'm **sorry!" **Ginger had cried. Azul was startled at her tone, she sounded furious. Furious with Rocky? Did she often get that way? He hadn't been there that long, he wouldn't know. Still, he was surprised at the way she had spoken to him._

_Ginger continued in that same anger: "Sorry for 'showing you up', I must feel **terrible! **Not everyone bows to you whenever you want, Rocky! You don't need all the attention...all the time! Can't you at least show some respect for others?"_

_So Rocky hadn't respected him at first. That basically had explained a lot about his attitude. And he had felt strange at Ginger's sarcastic tone, and the way she had spoken of 'respect'. Were they in a troublesome relationship? Maybe it was Ginger's hint to Rocky to move on and find someone else._

_"I'm really sorry, Azul...find someone else..." Strega's voice. _

_Everything was just so confusing. _

**_:--:_**

_"Ouph!"_ Azul was brought back to the real world as he sharply bumped into an unknown hen, toppling and hearing her squeal as she plopped back onto her rear, sending him a few paces back. _What a dope! What an idiot! What an ars – _

He quickly straightened up. "Ah, no! I'm sorry!" he said in apology, bending low and taking hold of her wings, helping her up (though it took a while, she was rather weighty). "I'm such a clumsy – I wasn't looking!"

"Oh, that's quite all right," the hen said in a sweet voice. It was Babs. She struggled to get back onto her feet, they kicked in the air as she tried. Eventually (with much help from Azul), she managed to stand up straight again, wobbly and with a goofy smile on her face.

Azul felt so stupid. "I'm sorry, Miss," he said. "You must excuse me. I have a habit of doing ridiculous things when I'm on the other side of the clouds. I hope you're not hurt," he added.

Babs shook her head. "No, no, it's fine, _really," _she said. "I was busy thinking meself. At least, that's what it _looked _like you were doing...thinking...I do that sometimes too, when I get a thought in me head," she smiled, pointing towards her head as in proof of evidence. "I was just having a talk with Beth, my little girl – such a lovely thing she is too...she's talking about going on _holiday!"_ She looked aghast at the thought.

Azul actually laughed.

"I keep telling her," Babs continued. "We _are _on holiday, sweetheart! We're going to be on holiday forever! A forever holiday!" She smiled, a dreamy look coming over her face. It caused Azul to smile again.

"I suppose you like the occasional holiday," he suggested.

"Oooh – yes, love! All the time!" Babs said. "It was rare we got one, back at the farm and everything, so it was always exciting. And now it's come true." She grinned and pulled her wings together, as if to get back to her knitting, but there was nothing in her wings. She frowned and started to look below her feet.

Azul nodded in response. He had heard – not long before his journey the tale of Tweedy's farm and the chickens that had escaped from it. But it was only now that he realised the chickens were his very friends. The thought excited him and sorrowed him.

Breaking from his thoughts, he looked down and pulled a face, humoured by Babs, staring down around in the grass and with a clueless notion about her. He tried to hold back a laugh as he bent down to inspect her search.

"W-what are you doing?" he asked. "What are you looking for?"

"My knitting, silly," Babs said. "It's always losing me."

"Here, let me help," Azul offered. "I have a gift for sharp eyes, you know."

"Well, be careful you don't cut yourself!" Babs exclaimed with sudden concern.

Azul didn't respond, but just smiled to himself. He could tell that she was a little far behind in the real world, but he didn't mind right now. His eyes peered deep into the grass and finally spotted what she was looking for.

"Oh, here - " he said, just at that moment when Babs said: "I see it!"

_Bump. _Both chickens had collided heads when reaching down for the knitting. They stood up, rubbing their heads and smiling uncomfortably, Azul with his mellow chuckle and Babs with her high giggle.

"I'm sorry," said Azul.

Babs again, said it was nothing. She retrieved her knitting from the rooster and both began to fall back into a conversation again. Azul couldn't believe how anyone could be so buoyant in everything they did. She seemed so happy all the time, as if life was treating her well – and it had _always _treated her well, and if she had lived a perfect dream. She didn't seem to show any sign of discomfort.

"You told that story," said Babs. "The one about love."

Azul looked down. He wished he hadn't come out all famous and pitiful in his first few weeks. It was all anyone ever talked to him about now, how that things would eventually work out for him and how he would move on. Even when he wasn't there he could swear that others were talking about him.

"Yes," he said.

Babs now frowned. "You went ahead and told everyone your name, didn't you? And...crumbs, now I've plum forgotten! Imagine that!"

"Imagine that, indeed," Azul said.

"Could you tell me, again, please? I tend to forget. Now I know it began with an 'A'..."

"Azul," the rooster prompted in, not wanting to go straight into a guessing game. "My name is Azul, Miss. You were almost close enough."

His sentence was finished by another one of Babs' confused faces. She scratched at her head, and a befuddled look came into her eyes, of a pastel blue. "My name is Babs, not 'Miss' – begging your pardon, and..._Azul! _That's what it was!" She squealed aloud and clapped. "I remember now!"

Azul wondered if she had a poor memory. He didn't want to bring it up, but the thought pounded on his brain. Being the polite soul that he was, he kept it inside, focusing on the hen's bright wit and sense.

"Babs," he repeated. "That's right, I remember you now also."

"You do?" She sounded delighted.

Azul let out a chuckle of his. "It seems we're both suffering victims of forgetting each other's names, aren't we? It's not often I do that...it's just there's so many of you here, I've been around for a few months but I haven't really settled into that category yet. I'm still learning a little."

Babs nodded, agreeing. "Everyone says I'm 'inclined to disregard' but I don't know what they mean," she said, sighing in exasperation. "It's so hard now to get a few _normal _words out of people."

_I wonder what her definition of normal is? _Azul wondered.

"So what are your plans for today, Miss Babs?" he asked.

Babs giggled. "Miss Babs – makes me sound all important, it does!" She thought hard. "Oooh, I'm just around for a stroll today, maybe taking little Archie for a walk, teach him how to say things properly, just the small things."

"Teaching him how to..._say _things properly?"

"Yes! He says such funny things sometimes. He says 'fan' instead of 'fun', 'talk' instead of 'walk', so when he wants to say: 'let's go for a walk', he says: 'let's go for a _talk', _and I end up thinking that something's happened!" She shook her head as if it were a pitiful crime. "And instead of saying: 'hit', he says: 'git'," she said, sorrowfully.

Azul forced to hold back a laugh, as Babs seemed very serious. "Oh, dear," he managed.

"I _know," _Babs groaned. "It's a hard shame, it is."

"Who's Archie?" Azul wanted to know. He already seemed to have an idea, but he had to make sure. Besides, he was interested in her answer. Everything she seemed to say made him smile.

Babs got back to her knitting, her wings working up and down, the fabric of her wool baby blue. "Archie? He's my little boy. Working on to a few months old now, he is. My baby girls, Beth and Susie, are almost one, aw. They're cute things."

"Three children? Don't they become a bit of a handful?"

"Um...not _really," _Babs said. "At least, not _yet."_

"Ah, I see."

Azul and Babs talked long into the night, until the sun began to set and a gentle pink and orange light began to touch the hills of the sanctuary. Azul barely noticed the time at all. Listening to Babs was very entertaining, and it was better than pretending to work away at his raft anyway (Babs had already complimented him on his work, as Azul had glumly told her that it wasn't finished yet).

"It's looking good!" she said. "Almost looks done!"

Azul couldn't really say anything to that, but just accepted her appreciation. It wasn't until the stars began to appear that Babs pointed out it was getting dark, and made her way back to her hut, saying a polite goodnight to Azul and gathering her children on her journey.

Azul watched after her, sighing and scuffing the ground with his feet. All of this talk about children with Babs reminded him of Rocky, and the talk they had the other day. And thinking of Rocky reminded him of Ginger.

What could he do? He missed her. He hadn't seen her all day. It was driving Azul crazy, wondering whether Rocky and her were really over for good. He made a mental note to speak to Rocky tomorrow, hinting towards that fact. After all, they were more than definition friends now, everything would work out.

He stepped over towards the riverbank to think, looking out across the waters and thinking of Strega, and his old home. His eyes cast down on his raft, simple pieces of logs tied together with rope, and hid it behind a tall grass area.

It was fixed.

**_To be continued_**

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_(Sorry about the wait for this chapter. : smile : Please tell me what you think!)_


	12. Maybe Friends

_Maybe Friends_

_(A/N: I return to you again, after what feels like a lifetime of despair! I'm so sorry, guys, if you only knew what I've been going through all of this time you would understand, but now I make it all up to you with a chapter. I hope you all forgive me: deals out all of the brownies, shrooms and chocolate drops she can find :)_

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"Stupid, stupid, stupid...you are so, _stupid..._"

Thick clouds blocked out the afternoon heat as they folded over the sky. They sheltered Azul carefully, hiding him away in the shade. Even in the cool he felt sweat running down his forehead, as he tugged lazily at the rope around the joints on his raft.

He grit his teeth, thinking: _Nerves, nerves! That's all it is! What else could it be, I'm not doing any flippin' work to **get **me sweating! _He wiped away at his head with the back of his wing, and shot a glance over his shoulder.

He couldn't keep up this game for long – too soon he would be discovered and then the whole suspicion would be afoot. Azul, their brave, sensitive hero would be nothing more than a smudge on the cover of their weekly magazine. He hadn't been a _liar, _no, no! Far too harsh a word – too harsh. Besides...he could never create someone like Strega and pretend that she was a fiction in his brain.

He tossed his tool down into the grass. _Strega! _It was all her fault he was here. She drove him away, unwanted. Turned him off like a slap in an argument, and he was still recovering from the after burn.

He had come all of this way to get as far away from _her _as he could. Staying there, seeing her everyday and hearing her tinkle of a laugh would eventually bring him to madness. He wanted to get even somehow, make her _hurt..._ show her how it really felt to have the heart ripped out of his chest.

"Gak, Strega!" he said, angrily. "I hate you."

Tears stung his eyes.

"I hate you, I hate you, I hate you," he growled.

He pulled tight on the rope, pulling and pulling until every pore in his body screamed for breath. He used it as a stress relief, to force all of the anger out of his system. He never used to do it that often, come to think of it...

_Strega..._

He stopped, panting, fully washed of his rage. Guilt coursed through him.

_Dear, sweet, Strega...how could I think those things? How could I **say **those things? She's my angel, my first love, my everything – and she hates me, it's my fault it all happened, she's not the one to blame..._

"No," he whispered, dropping his wings. "No, I'm sorry...I didn't mean it. It's my fault. My fault. Blame me!"

He numbly reached out and picked up his tool.

"I don't hate you, I don't!" he cried. "I don't hate you."

_Who am I talking to? She's not here. _

"I'm hoping that's a good start," came Rocky's laugh from behind him.

_Fool! _Azul abruptly spun around. Rocky and Ginger stood there, watching him with careful eyes. Ginger's especially were filled with confusion. She stood a little bit out in front, a subtle frown crossing her eyes and her foot tapping (as it always did when she was concerned about something). Rocky seemed more at focus with looking for glimpses of sunshine at the moment.

"Roc – Ginger!" Azul spluttered.

Ginger stared, softness in her voice. "What are you doing?"

"Do – _doing..._?" Azul pushed large layers of grass around his raft, surrounding it. He felt his cheeks flame up in embarrassment, and hoped he wasn't turning red. Mentally he pounded himself for being such a delinquent. The tool was hidden behind his back. "Why, nothing!" he gulped.

"You sure?" Rocky finally asked him. He laughed to himself heartily at Azul's expression. It certainly didn't look too well at all. Pale, and clammy...his eyes wouldn't stop staring open.

"Looks like you're chokin' on a bug!" Rocky chuckled. Ginger groaned to herself and gave him a shove, causing loss of balance and sending him on a roll down the nearest hill.

"_Whoa! Boy_!"

Azul held back a laugh, removing his grin when Ginger turned back to him.

"I've been meaning to do that for a while," she joked.

Azul gulped again.

"Because it's you I want, Azul. Not Rocky, you."

"Oh, Ginger. I want you too. I think about you most of the time. I could even come close to saying that – yes, I love you. I love you, Ginger!"

_Oh, **how **I wish that would happen, _Azul thought bitterly. The last two sentences had played out into his mind like a masterpiece on paper. _The perfect love story. _Often he found himself retreating into his own fantasies to gain his desires. His dreams didn't help either. _Sailing across water...reaching the shore, and seeing Ginger's smile. The same shore that I left Strega behind._

He sighed. "What brings you out here, Ginger?"

"Well, actually," Ginger began, "It was about -- "

But she was stopped by the sound of Rocky's gasps, as he pulled himself up the rest of the hill. He flopped down and glared at her, exhaling deeply. "Y'know, that was the most uncomfortable thing that's happened to me," he said, brushing loose grass strands from his comb. "Really."

Ginger eyed him, pulling twigs from his feathers. "You wait until tonight then," she laughed. "You won't know what's hit you."

Rocky chuckled in embarrassment. Azul felt himself coiling in repulse.

He stood up shakily, buying time. Distracting himself. Out of the corner of his eye he saw a group of chicks building a fort out of dry grass. Fowler pacing along the lines like a general, eyeing suspicious behaviour. Bunty napping. Babs pushing Susie too high on the swing. Susie squealing to get down.

"Tease," he heard Rocky whisper. "You're almost as good as I am."

"I've got to go," Azul mumbled, jolting.

This made Ginger turn. "But – Azul, I was just going to tell you that Rocky wants -- "

" – You," finished Azul. "It's fine. I understand. If you two want to catch up and spend some time together, it's fine by me. Really, it's fine." His voice sounded more cheerful than expected. He brushed a feather under his beak, banishing a sniff, and turned to leave.

"Wait." Ginger took hold of his wing. "Azul," and here he sighed at the way she said his name, "That's not the reason we came up here. Rocky wanted to talk to you. We weren't telling you to leave, or whatever it was you were thinking. It will only be a few minutes. Please."

_But it's you I want to talk to, Ginger. Not Rocky. I just can't get you alone._

"Maybe later," said Azul. "I've...got the raft to work on."

"Azul, please -- "

The rooster picked up the rest of his discarded tools, and dragged his raft limply down the hill. Anger burned through him like blood through his veins. What was her game? Was she flirting in front of him on purpose? Or was she trying to prove something?

_She is so confusing. So bloody complex all the time. I just wish I knew where she was coming from._

He dropped one tool halfway down, and groaned in exasperation. There was a slight tension building up behind his eyes. _The heat. _He would blame it on that. Even if there was a lovely cool shade shadowing over everyone, and not a speck of sunlight to be seen. _I'll just blame it on something that doesn't exist anymore. I'm good at that. _

"Uph!" he cried out, catching his foot in a tight ditch and falling over sideways.

_Great job, old boy. Juuuust great. _

He thumped the ground in his anger and inspected his foot. It wasn't too bad, not even twisted. Blood filled his face as he felt ashamed of himself. Looking up he saw Rocky and Ginger peering down at him.

"Hey, buddy! You ok?" Rocky called.

"Yes, yes, don't bother!" Azul answered, moving to get up. There was a tingling in his toes and his foot felt numb, but he didn't want to say so. The raft was still in perfect shape. _How ironic._

"Hold on!" came the voice again.

_Leave me alone, Yank. You've already taken Ginger as well as my pride._

Before he had any time to move, Azul felt Rocky's wings around his shoulders, helping him up. The support was grateful, though he didn't feel it was at all necessary.

"I already said, you don't have to -- "

"I'm offering, ain't I? You fell down pretty fast there. Sure you're not hurt?"

The kindness in Rocky's voice only made Azul feel worse. He turned away, not wanting to look into the rooster's eyes. What an idiot he felt! Thinking back on the excuses he made to leave so suddenly made everything sound childish. _The things they were saying..._ It made him feel empty inside.

_What do I feel at the moment? Everything's so muddled._

"I'm fine," he told Rocky. "Nothing's broken, or sprained, or twisted, or...whatever."

Rocky sensed the tone in his voice and tightened his grip on his shoulder.

"I wasn't getting at ya, pal. In fact, that was the last thing on my mind." He sighed, running one of his wings through his comb. "Ginger was trying to say so before – before you cut her off, that is -- "

Azul blushed again.

"Anyway, I've been looking for ya all day," Rocky finished. "I've wanted to split words but you always seem to be hiding away, and sneaking off!" He laughed. "It's like you're trying to avoid me, or something."

_Don't you know it._

"Of course not," Azul spluttered. "Why would I want to – why would I do that? I don't know why you would want to see me anyway. We haven't exactly had the most comfortable time getting to know each other. I don't even know anything about you."

He turned to leave here, but Rocky held him fast.

"There's your problem, ya don't wanna hang around enough _to _know me. It's like your always looking for an excuse to run away from everyone."

"That's not true!" Azul cried.

"Yeah? Well, go on then."

"What?"

"Ask me a question. Go on, anything ya want. Anything ya wanna know."

Azul stopped, cut off for words. _Ridiculous, just plain ridiculous. _He felt as if he were arguing with a child. What could Ginger possibly see in this immature excuse for a rooster? It seemed as though he was always looking to pick fights or faults. It filled Azul up with a red hot rage.

"Why?" he asked slowly.

"So we can get to know each other," Rocky simply replied.

_But I don't want to get to know you. _Azul, although wanting to be on good terms with Rocky, really wasn't in the mood to become sharing partners. Right now, all he wanted was to be left alone, so that he could plan his next move. He'd had a few close escapes with his raft, already with Babs and now with Rocky and Ginger.

Ginger. God, now he felt like a fool again!

"_But – Azul, I was just going to tell you that Rocky wants -- "_

" – _You."_

What was he _thinking? _Shooting his big mouth off –

He searched for words. "Maybe now isn't the best time," he started.

Rocky laughed incredulously. "What makes you say that! In your case, it's not a 'best time' for anything! You're like the little 'duck n' cover', never wanting any contact from anyone unless they're asking about _your _life!"

"I don't have to listen to this nonsense," Azul snapped, after a short silence. A vein in his head was beginning to pulse hard. _Blow Rocky and his uselessness! _Who was he to classify his character? He had no right to speak of him like this as if he knew him!

Rocky rushed forward and grabbed hold of him again, impatience swelling. "Look, it's not nonsense; you just wish it were, that's all! Are you gonna walk away from me every time I try to get chummy with ya? I'm just being friendly, pal. Ginger reckons I owe it to ya after the way I acted when you came. Now I'm wondering why," he added, releasing him.

Azul felt coldness in his bones. _Ginger? She wanted Rocky to do this? _

Questions spun around him. "I don't want any favours," he said quietly.

"It's not a favour. I already feel bad about before, how many times do I have to say so?"

There was a long, annoying pause between them.

Azul looked at the ground.

"There was...something I wanted to say," he said.

"Huh? What's that?" Rocky asked, expecting another confrontation. He couldn't get his head around this guy more than he could get it around Ginger. They were both so complicated that at times he felt like screaming. _I never know what the hell they want._

"It's just...Strega," Azul mumbled. "Seeing you, and Ginger...it makes me - "

"Jealous?" Rocky finished.

Azul paused. Was that how to describe it? It didn't really feel as though he was jealous of what went on between the two of them, it was more like he wanted Ginger and not the compassion. That was it. He was jealous, but of her being with someone else instead of him.

_But I thought I'd love Strega forever. _

He found that he could only nod as a reply.

"Well – hey, we'll just watch the smoochin' when you're close!" Rocky replied, cheerfully. "Why didn't you say so? I forgot that you're probably still hurting. It wasn't that long ago."

Now Azul didn't know whether he felt better. In his opinion, if Ginger was with Rocky he still wanted to know what went on while he _pretended _not to look, but then again...ah, things were getting worse! There was nothing more that he wished than to tell Ginger how he really felt. The feeling he had for her was different to the one he had with Strega, he thought he was in love with her; but now he was unsure.

He smiled. "Thanks, Rocky."

"It's no problem, pal. C'mon." His wing was put around his shoulder as he helped him limp back to his hut. Not another word was said between them, and Azul was grateful for it.

"Azul!" he heard a voice call out in the distance.

He turned.

Babs was waving at him.

He smiled, and waved back.

_**: To be continued :**_

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_(A/N: Please read and review! You can bash me about my lateness if you want! ...)_


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